Toowoomba Bypass heavy vehicle information

The Toowoomba Bypass (Warrego Highway) is the primary freight route for all heavy vehicles over 4.5t (excluding motorhomes and buses). The Toowoomba Bypass was designed to accommodate larger heavy vehicles like Type 1 road trains, B-Triples and PBS Level 3 combinations that were previously restricted from travelling down the Toowoomba Range.

The original Toowoomba Range (previously Warrego Highway) is now known as the Toowoomba Connection Road.

Accessing the Toowoomba Bypass

All heavy vehicles over 4.5t (excluding motorhomes and buses) must use the Toowoomba Bypass unless you have a local destination in Toowoomba or need to access the New England Highway.

You can access the Toowoomba Bypass at:

• Helidon Spa (Warrego east interchange)
• Cranley (Mort Street interchange)
• Cranley (Boundary Street interchange)
• Charlton (Warrego west interchange)
• Athol (Gore Highway interchange)
• Wellcamp (Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road interchange).

Tolling

All vehicles travelling on the Toowoomba Bypass between Helidon Spa and Mort Street interchange will be required to pay a toll.

Learn more about the toll charges including how to pay.

Heavy vehicles accessing Toowoomba or New England Highway via Toowoomba Connection Road

If you have a local destination in Toowoomba or are travelling on the New England Highway you may use Toowoomba Connection Road instead of the Toowoomba Bypass.

A local destination in Toowoomba is defined as a start or endpoint within the mapped Blue zone.

Destinations on the border of the Blue zone (sections of Boundary Street, Bridge Street, Tor Street, Anzac Avenue and Drayton Connection Road) are required to use the Toowoomba Bypass.

Heavy vehicle usage will be closely monitored. Drivers found travelling through the Toowoomba road network without a local destination or travelling on the New England Highway may be fined.

Conditions for oversize loads

The following conditions ensure the movement of oversize loads are managed in a safe and efficient way, minimising the impact to operators whilst maintaining network efficiency for all road users.

Loads between 5.5m and 7.0m in width and less than 102.5t

• At least 1 hour prior to travel on the Toowoomba Bypass, you must contact Ventia on (07) 4591 9600.
• You must pull over at regular intervals to allow traffic to pass.

Loads between 5.5m and 7.0m in width and greater than 102.5t

• Travel is only permitted between 8pm and 5am.
• At least 1 hour prior to travel on the Toowoomba Bypass, you must contact Ventia on (07) 4591 9600.
• You must pull over at regular intervals to allow traffic to pass.

Loads exceeding 7.0m in width

• Travel is only permitted between 8pm and 5am.
• At least 1 hour prior to travel on the Toowoomba Bypass, you must contact Ventia on (07) 4591 9600.
• While in transit, Ventia will communicate with the driver, pilot and Queensland Police escorts on UHF Channel 40. If traffic builds up, you will be required to stop at the next available stopping bay to allow traffic to pass.

Engine exhaust noise

We are working on managing the impacts of engine exhaust noise on the local community, whilst recognising the Toowoomba Bypass is a primary freight route.

What measures are in place?

We are using different measures, depending on the circumstance of an unacceptable noise level reading.

Transport Inspectors are placed at random locations on the Toowoomba Bypass and take noise measurements of moving heavy vehicles.

Unacceptable engine exhaust noise measurements above 95db(A) could result in one of these measures for the Registered Operator:

• Warning notice
• Notice of compliance
• Notice of presentation for inspection at a Department of Transport and Main Roads Inspection Site.

Any Notice to present will be given reasonable time to fit in with your scheduled vehicle service.

If your engine exhaust system makes high levels of noise, we recommend this is checked at your next scheduled vehicle service.