Townsville Northern Access Intersections Upgrade (Bruce Highway, Veales Road to Pope Road)

The Townsville Northern Access Intersections Upgrade (TNAIU) project will duplicate 5.2km of the Bruce Highway north of Townsville, at Black River between Veales Road and Pope Road, including duplicating the Black River Bridge. It will improve safety, efficiency and travel time reliability for the 14,000 freight and passenger vehicles that travel this section of the Bruce Highway every day.

The entire length of the 5.2km duplication will be on separated carriageway with either a physical barrier, or enough separation between the northbound and southbound traffic lanes to significantly reduce the risk of crashes, particularly head on crashes.

Currently there are several intersections and side streets with direct access to the highway. To improve safety further for motorists, the number of direct accesses and intersections will be reduced, and the remaining intersections will change to a left in left out only configuration.

When motorists are entering the highway from a side street, they only need to look in one direction to merge onto the highway, thereby reducing the risk of crossing two lanes of traffic coming in opposing directions.

Emergency vehicles will still be able to make a right-turn via a dedicated ‘emergency services only’ access point located on the highway south of Brabon Road and Mt Kulburn Road.

View the Townsville Northern Access Intersections Upgrade - Veales Road to Pope Road Map for further information. 

 

Benefits

  • Improves safety
  • Improves network efficiency
  • Reduces travel time
  • Contributes to economy
  • Contributes to regional growth

Key features

  • Duplicate 5.2km section of the Bruce Highway between Veales Road and Pope Road north of Townsville at Black River.
  • Construction of a second bridge across Black River for southbound motorists on the Bruce Highway.
  • Construction of 3 new service roads (Mt Kulburn Connection, Nora Road Extension and the Moree Road service road).
  • Reducing the number of intersections and direct accesses to the Bruce Highway with alternative access provided via the new service roads to other upgraded intersections.

Funding

$117.4 million jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments on an 80:20 basis under the 15-year, $13 billion Bruce Highway Upgrade Program.
Investment ID 319179

Total investment
$117.4 million
Australian Government
$93.92 million
Queensland Government
$23.48 million

Townsville Northern Access Intersections Upgrade flythrough

Video Transcript

The Department of Transport and Main Roads is constructing the Townsville Northern Access Intersections Upgrade on the Bruce Highway north of Townsville between Veales Road and Pope Road.

The project will include the construction of the Moree Service Road, the Nora Road Extension, a new highway connection for Bowden Road, closure of the Church Road intersection, Construction of a second bridge over Black River and the Mt Kulburn Connection to Seafarers Way.

Located near the North Coast Railway Line, the project will duplicate 5.2 kilometres of the Bruce Highway.

A sealed link between the two carriageways is located just south of Mt Kulburn Drive which will allow maintenance vehicles access between the two carriageways.

Another sealed access link is located just south of the Brabon Road Intersection.  This link will be for Emergency Service vehicles with no U-turn permitted for motorists. 

Brabon Road and Mt Kulburn Drive Intersections will be upgraded to a left in left out only intersection.

Better and safer facilities will be provided for cyclists and pedestrians with the construction of a new shared pathway between the two Black River Bridges.

The Nora Road Connection will extend the existing Nora Road and link Church Road to Black River Road which is an approved heavy vehicle route.

The Black River Road intersection will be upgraded to a left in left out only intersection.

Motorists, (including B-Double trucks) heading south on the highway can access the southbound carriage lanes by using a 235-metre dedicated turning lane. 

Motorists utilising this turning facility will stop at the top of the lane, wait for a safe gap in traffic and turn right onto the southbound carriageway.

Bowden Road Intersection will be moved north of its existing location and will be upgraded to a left in left out only intersection. 

Highway access for the Queensland Ambulance Station will allow Emergency vehicles to enter the northbound lane via a sealed link between the carriageways.

Southbound motorists wanting to change direction and head north will use the dedicated turning lane 235 metres south of the Bowden Road intersection. 

To improve safety for motorists, the number of direct accesses to the highway will be reduced. and access for these properties will be maintained via the new service road off Moree Road.

Construction on the $107.65 million Townsville Northern Access Intersections Upgrade project will commence in May 2021 and will be completed by early 2023. 

Current status

BMD Constructions has been awarded the construction contract for the $117.4 million TNAIU project. Construction has now started with completion expected by mid-2023, weather permitting. 

Black River Bridge upgrade

The existing Black River Bridge will be upgraded for northbound traffic with a second bridge being constructed across Black River for southbound motorists. Illuminated bike and pedestrian shared underpasses will be located on each side of the bridge allowing the community to cross the highway safely.

U-Turn (turnaround) facility

A U-turn facility, designed to accommodate up to 25 metre B-double trucks, will allow motorists to change direction on the Bruce Highway safely by moving out of highway traffic and into a 235m dedicated turning lane before making a U-turn.

Southbound U-turn facility

Heavy vehicle u-turn facility for access from Black River Road to Bowden Road, on the Bruce Highway

Northbound U-turn facility

Heavy vehicle u-turn facility for access from Bowden Road to Black River Road on the Bruce Highway

Mt Kulburn Drive intersection upgrade

To improve safety for all motorists, the Mt Kulburn Drive intersection will be reconfigured to a left in/left out only intersection. To access the southbound carriageway, residents can use the Bruce Highway and Mt Kulburn Drive intersection to head north and use the U-turn facility north of Black River Road. Alternatively, a connection road will be built to link Mt Kulburn Drive to the Eden Park Development where residents can access the highway via Darling Road and Veales Road.

Changes to Church Road intersection

Due to its crash history road users will no longer be able to enter or exit the highway at Church Road. Church Road will be closed and become a cul-de-sac. The closure will be in the form of a gate which may be used during flood events as an evacuation measure if required.

To provide safer access to the highway, Nora Road will be extended to connect Church Road and Black River Road and road users can enter the Bruce Highway via the upgraded Black River Road intersection. Church Road traffic will continue to have the option of using Aurora Drive to connect to Black River Road.

Black River Road intersection upgrade

To improve safety for all motorists, the Black River Road intersection will be reconfigured to a left in/left out only intersection. Those wanting to turn right out of Black River Road (towards Townsville), can now move straight across into the 235m turning lane opposite the intersection to access the new U-turn facility. The U-turn facility has been designed to safely cater for all approved use vehicles on this section of the Bruce Highway, including B-doubles, defence vehicles and cars towing horse floats, boats and caravans.

Access to Black River Road from the north will be provided by the U-turn facility located 235m south of Black River Road.

Moree Road service road

The construction of the new Moree Road service road will deliver significant safety benefits by providing alternative access to 4 highway fronting properties. This access road will service these private properties only and will not be providing direct access from Moree Road to the Bruce Highway.

Bowden Road intersection upgrade

The Bowden Road service road entrance will be relocated 235 metres to the north. This will allow vehicles coming out of Bowden Road to have direct access to the southbound turning lane to access the new U-turn facility.

Bowden Road will also become a left in/left out only intersection. Access to Bowden Road from the south will be provided by the U-turn facility located 235m north of Bowden Road.

A new barrier fence will be installed at the northern end of the Bowden Road Service Road to prevent illegal access between Bowden Road and the Bruce Highway.

Northern beaches ambulance station

There will be no changes or impacts to the Northern Beaches Ambulance Station. 

The TNAIU project includes the provision of emergency access points to enable emergency services to quickly navigate throughout the project area. 

Brabon Road

Brabon Road will be upgraded to a left in/left out intersection only. 

Townsville Northern Access Intersections Upgrade - Veales Road to Pope Road project map

Map showing the project location