Capricorn Highway
Capricorn Highway | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Highway |
| Length | 575 km (357 mi) |
| Route number(s) |
|
| Former route number |  National Route 66 |
| Major junctions | |
| West end |  Landsborough Highway (National Highway A2), Barcaldine |
 Gregory Highway (State Highway A7) Leichhardt Highway (State Highway A5) | |
| East end |  Bruce Highway (Queensland Highway A1), Rockhampton |
| Location(s) | |
| Major settlements | Jericho, Alpha, Emerald, Blackwater, Gogango, Westwood |
| Highway system | |
The Capricorn Highway is located in Central Queensland, Australia, and links the city of Rockhampton with western Queensland.[1] The highway is 575 kilometres (357 mi) long, and joins the Landsborough Highway at Barcaldine.[2] Formerly National Route 66, Queensland began to convert to the alphanumeric system much of Australia had adopted in the early-2000s and is now designated as A4. The highway runs parallel with the Tropic of Capricorn, hence its name.
Other towns situated along the highway include (from east to west): Gracemere, Kabra, Stanwell, Westwood, Gogango, Duaringa, Dingo, Bluff, Blackwater, Comet, Emerald, Bogantungan, Alpha and Jericho.
Running virtually east/west, the highway traverses the area known as the Central Highlands, and crosses the Great Dividing Range between Alpha and Jericho.
-
Capricorn Highway (green on black)
Northern Australia Roads Program upgrade[edit]
The Northern Australia Roads Program announced in 2016 included the following project for the Capricorn Highway.
Highway duplication[edit]
The project to duplicate the section between Rockhampton and Gracemere was completed in mid 2021 at a total cost of $75 million.[3] This will facilitate the construction of the south-western entry to the proposed Rockhampton Ring Road.
Northern Australian Beef Roads Upgrade[edit]
The Northern Australia Beef Roads Program announced in 2016 included the following project:
Road train access to Rockhampton (stage 2)[edit]
The project for upgrading between Gracemere saleyards and the Rockhampton abattoirs to provide access for Type 1 Road Trains was completed by early 2021 at a total cost of $30 million.[4] It involved about 29 kilometres (18 mi) of road improvements on four roads:
- Capricorn Highway – from Saleyards Road at Gracemere to the Bruce Highway roundabout at Rochhampton (7.7 kilometres (4.8 mi)).
- Bruce Highway – from the Capricorn Highway roundabout to the Yaamba Road intersection (8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi)).
- Rockhampton–Yeppoon Road – from the Bruce Highway intersection south-west to the Emu Park Road intersection (2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi).
- Rockhampton–Emu Park Road – from the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road intersection to St Christophers Chapel Road at Nerimbera (10.2 kilometres (6.3 mi)).
Roads of strategic importance upgrades[edit]
The Roads of Strategic Importance initiative, last updated in March 2022, included the following projects for the Capricorn Highway.
Corridor upgrade[edit]
A lead project to upgrade the Mount Isa to Rockhampton corridor, including sections of the Capricorn and Landsborough Highways and surrounding state and council roads, at an estimated cost of $237.5 million, was in the planning and scoping stage. Works are expected to include progressive sealing, lane duplications and crossing upgrades.[5]
Intersection upgrade Gregory Highway[edit]
A project to upgrade the intersection with the Gregory Highway in Emerald at a cost of $7.9 million is scheduled for completion in mid-2023.[6] This project was targeted for "early works" by the Queensland Government.[7]
Other upgrades[edit]
Intersection upgrade[edit]
A project to upgrade an intersection in Blackwater, at a cost of $6.24 million, was expected to finish in early 2022.[8]
Pavement strengthening and/or widening[edit]
A project to strengthen and widen pavement just east of Emerald, at a cost of $5 million, was expected to finish in mid-2022.[9]
A project to widen pavement east of Alpha, at a cost of $9.65 million, was due for completion in late 2022.[10]
Major intersections[edit]
| LGA | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcaldine | Barcaldine | 0 | 0.0 | Landsborough Highway (National Route A2) west – Longreach / south – Blackall | Western end of Capricorn Highway |
| Central Highlands | Emerald | 309 | 192 | Gregory Highway (State Route A7) north – Clermont | Western concurrency terminus with Gregory Highway |
| 311 | 193 | Gregory Highway (State Route A7) south – Springsure | Eastern concurrency terminus with Gregory Highway | ||
| Dingo | 432 | 268 |  Fitzroy Developmental Road (State Route 67) north – Middlemount | ||
| Rockhampton | Westwood | 522.9 | 324.9 | Leichhardt Highway (State Route A5) south – Banana and Biloela | |
| Rockhampton | 574.6 | 357.0 | Bruce Highway (Queensland Highway A1) north – Rockhampton / south – Mount Larcom | Eastern end of Capricorn Highway. Intersection is approximately 4.1 km from Rockhampton CBD | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Queensland Government - Department of Transport and Main Roads - Maps". Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ Hema, Maps (2007). Australia Road and 4WD Atlas (Map). Eight Mile Plains Queensland: Hema Maps. pp. 10–11. ISBN 978-1-86500-456-3.
- ^ "Capricorn Highway (Rockhampton - Duaringa) Rockhampton to Gracemere Duplication". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "Rockhampton Road Network – Road Train Access". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 8 April 2021. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ^ "Mount Isa to Rockhampton Corridor Upgrade". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 29 March 2022. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "Capricorn Highway and Gregory Highway Intersection Upgrade (Emerald)". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "ROSI early works package" (PDF). Queensland Government. 29 April 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- ^ "Capricorn Highway (Duaringa-Emerald) and Ardurad Road, widen pavement and Blackwater-Rolloston Road, upgrade intersection". Queensland Government. 22 November 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ "Capricorn Highway (Duaringa-Emerald), Winton Creek to Agricultural College (Emerald), (Stage1),pavement strengthening and widening". Queensland Government. 28 January 2022. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ "Capricorn Highway (Emerald-Alpha), widen pavement". Queensland Government. 28 June 2022. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.