Gatton-Helidon Road, pavement widening
Designs to provide long-term improvements to traffic flow and safety on Gatton-Helidon Road are now complete.
Gatton-Helidon Road is an important rural road connecting agricultural communities in the Lockyer Valley, including Gatton, Grantham and Helidon with the Warrego Highway.
The project involved designing safety improvements for the high-speed sections including road widening, removing roadside hazards and upgrading key intersections.
The community provided feedback about safety and efficiency on Gatton-Helidon Road and this feedback has been considered in the detailed design for the project.
This is a design project only and construction will be scheduled when funding is allocated.
Benefits
- Improves safety
- Increases capacity
- Improves network efficiency
- Increases traffic flow
- Reduces peak hour congestion
- Reduces travel time
- Contributes to economy
- Contributes to regional growth
Key features
- Road widening and installing a wide centre line to improve the separation between vehicles travelling in opposite directions and reduce the risk of head-on crashes.
- Installing dedicated right and left turning lanes at Old Toowoomba Road and Flagstone Creek Road intersections to improve traffic flow and reduce the risk of rear-end crashes.
- Audio tactile line marking on the centre line and edge lines through the high-speed sections.
- Wider road shoulders at smaller intersections to allow through traffic to more easily overtake turning vehicles and move around turning vehicles.
- Improving visibility and safety of the roadside environment by clearing vegetation, removing hazards and re-shaping table drains. Where the slope cannot be reduced on the roadside batter, guardrails will be installed to reduce the risk of vehicles running off the road.
- New signage and line marking will be installed and lighting will be provided at Robinsons Road, Wells Road, Old Toowoomba Road and Flagstone Creek Road intersections.
- Stabilising the cuttings between the Lockyer Creek bridge and Old Toowoomba Road.
The proposed design does not include:
- Road rehabilitation, improvements to road rideability and overtaking lanes. The design includes adding width to the existing road and applying a new seal over the full width.
- Improvements to flood immunity. The project aim is to maintain the existing drainage flow and capacity. Flood modelling is being undertaken to confirm there will be 'no worsening' of flood impacts across the project area as a result of the design.
- Speed limit reductions. Rather than reducing the speed, the design includes treatments such as road widening, a wide centre line and intersection upgrades to improve safety in the existing speed environments.
- Intersection improvements at the railway underpass to Lawlers Road. Community feedback indicated a preference to upgrade the intersection. TMR will investigate opportunities for intersection improvements as part of future projects.
Funding
This project is funded by the Queensland Government through the Targeted Road Safety Program.
- Total investment
- $4.6 million
- Queensland Government
- $4.6 million
Current status
The community provided input into safety and efficiency on Gatton-Helidon Road in February 2022 and this feedback has been considered during the design process.
A detailed design to improve safety and efficiency on the high-speed sections of Gatton-Helidon Road has been developed.
Read more about the outcomes from community consultation here.
Gatton-Helidon Road, pavement widening project location map
- Section 1 – between Robinsons Road and Gatton-Clifton Road
- Section 2 – between Lockyer Creek Bridge and Armstrongs Road
- Section 3 – between Nicholls Street and the railway underpass to Lawlers Road
- Section 4 – between the railway underpass to Lawlers Road and Flagstone Creek Road
- Section 5 – approaching the roundabout at Helidon