General

Where is Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road?

Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road is a regional road linking the Capricorn Coast to Rockhampton and the Bruce Highway. It also forms part of the designated State freight network and plays an important role in supporting defence, forestry, freight, tourism and commuter traffic demands in the region.

Rockhampton–Yeppoon Road is approximately 35.6 kilometres in length, with two distince sections; a 4.03 kilometre section traversing the Rockhampton Central Business District (Fitzroy Street, Queen Elizabeth Drive and Musgrave Street) and the second a 31.6 kilometre section from the Bruce Highway intersection in Parkhurst to Tanby Road roundabout at Yeppoon.

The section from the Bruce Highway to Tanby Road roundabout is made up of a four-lane section and a two-lane section for the remainder of the road from Iron Pot through to Tanby Road roundabout.

What is the Yeppoon Road Upgrade project?

To support future population and economic growth in the Central Queensland region, $80 million has been committed by the Australian and Queensland Governments towards upgrade of Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road.

The Australian and Queensland Governments are partners in the delivery of a program of works for the 10-year Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) corridor investment.

The ROSI initiative aims to ensure key freight roads efficiently connect agricultural regions and ports, airports and other transport hubs and provide better access for tourism, mining and other sectors. 

This commitment includes a $64 million allocation from the Australian Government and $16 million from the Queensland Government in an 80:20 funding arrangement toward an $80 million upgrade of the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road. 

https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=100645-18QLD-RSI.

What are the benefits of the Yeppoon Road Upgrade project?

Once complete, the Yeppoon Road Upgrade is expected to deliver:

• increased economic productivity by reducing costs to industry through better efficiency on the route and lower travel times
• improved road safety by reducing unsafe overtaking and the associated risks of head-on collisions
• increased safety for active transport users
• increased route capacity to accommodate future growth in traffic volume through increased economic activity in the region
• increased flood immunity.

What work will be undertaken as part of the Yeppoon Road Upgrade project?

The objective of the scoping phase is to identify investment options to improve the traffic capacity and safety of road users using Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road from Iron Pot Road intersection to Tanby Road Roundabout in Yeppoon. The preferred option will be taken through to the business case.

Other activities that will be completed as part of the scoping phase include geotechnical investigations, cultural heritage and environmental surveys, flood modelling and traffic analysis.

The outcomes of these investigations and community feedback will help determine what upgrades should be prioritised for the $80 million upgrade.

When will the list of upgrades be confirmed?

The scoping phase process will develop targeted upgrade priorities for the $80 million Yeppoon Road Upgrade project. The scope of works will be prioritised in a Business Case to be completed in mid-2021. The full scope of works will be confirmed as part of the detailed design phase, anticipated to commence in late 2021.

When will construction start?

It is anticipated that construction will commence in early-2023.

Will the upgrade manage flooding in the area?

As part of this scoping phase improved flood immunity will be explored. 

Road closure due to flooding does impact locations on the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road during significant rain and flooding events, resulting in traffic delays for all road users, including freight vehicles.

There are nine culvert locations and two bridges along the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road corridor. Hydraulic assessments of Limestone Creek floodplain and Hedlow Creek floodplain have been undertaken in the preliminary investigations to determine the current flood immunity level of the link, the inundation depths and the time of submergence.

What are the traffic volumes on the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road?

The analysis of the 2018 daily traffic volumes suggests that Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road currently carries between 10,750 and 11,550 vehicles per day (vpd).  

The accepted threshold for a two-lane rural road is 12,000vpd, in accordance with TMR’s State-Controlled Priority Road Network Investment Guidelines (2011).  Therefore, the link is approaching the threshold capacity of a two-lane rural highway and an investigation of options to meet future demand was undertaken.

Community

What will happen to the community input provided as part of the community engagement?

TMR values all community feedback and will use information and insights shared to inform the scoping phase of the project.

How can I stay up-to-date with future planning for the Yeppoon Road Upgrade Project?

To stay informed and receive project updates contact the project team on (07) 4931 1500 or email FitzroyDistrict@tmr.qld.gov.au. 

Funding 

How will the project be funded?

Funding of $80 million has been committed by the Australian and Queensland Governments on an 80:20 (federal:state) funding basis under the federal Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) initiative. 

In June 2020, the Australian Government approved the release of $10 million (80:20 (federal: state)) to commence the scoping phase of the project and develop the Business Case.

Will additional funding be available to fund full duplication?

Funding of $80 million has been committed by the Australian and Queensland Governments on an 80:20 (federal:state) funding basis under the federal Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) initiative. 

This funding will provide initial targeted upgrades, confirmed during the scoping phase, to the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road.

Strategic planning since 2017 has identified that the $80 million represents about 25 percent of funding required to duplicate the final 21.7 kilometres of the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road.

Under the Queensland Transport and Road Investment Program, funding for safely operating and maintaining the road network is given the highest priority. 

Road investment is targeted to where it is needed most. Funding for the regions does vary over years as a result of changing needs and funds being distributed across the state to meet the most urgent priorities. 

Planning

What stage of planning is project up to?

Strategic planning has been underway for the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road since 2017.

In early June 2020, the Scoping Phase Project Proposal Report was submitted to Australian Government for review and approval.

In late June 2020, TMR received approval for the release of $10 million of the joint $80 million ($64 million Australian Government, $16 million Queensland Government) Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) funding commitment to progress the scoping phase and develop the Business Case. 

Stakeholder and community consultation to identify road user and industry priorities for the Yeppoon Road Upgrade project will be undertaken in July and August 2020.

Activities associated with the Options Analysis and Business Case development will commence in August 2020. The Business Case is expected to be completed in mid-2021.

Environment

How will the environment be protected when construction commences?

Protecting the environment forms an important part of planning for all new road and infrastructure projects. As part of the planning and design process, TMR will undertake comprehensive investigations, including various environmental and cultural heritage surveys, in the project corridor. 

Findings from the field studies will help determine what important environment areas are in the vicinity of the corridor and what mitigation strategies are required to protect them. Planning will ensure the project complies with all relevant environmental protection and cultural heritage legislation.

Will Cultural Heritage be protected when construction commences?

TMR recognises the significance of different cultures and the importance of managing Indigenous, historical, shared and natural heritage.

Aboriginal heritage – TMR will work with the Darumbal People to plan and deliver the project, taking into account important cultural considerations for the local community. TMR will comply with Duty of Care provisions under relevant legislation to ensure all reasonable and practicable measures to avoid harming Aboriginal heritage.

Historical heritage – TMR will comply with relevant legislation to the conservation of historical cultural heritage by protecting all places and areas entered in the Queensland Heritage Register. TMR will also do everything reasonable and practicable to protect unregistered places where warranted.