Ipswich Motorway

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Ipswich Motorway

Ipswich Motorway upgrade, looking east at Oxley Road roundabout, Oxley, Queensland.jpg
Ipswich Motorway upgrade, looking east at Oxley Road roundabout, Oxley
General information
Type Motorway
Length21 km (13 mi)
Route number(s)
  • AUS Alphanumeric Route M2.svg M2
  • (Warrego Highway to Logan Motorway)
  • AUS Alphanumeric Route M7.svg M7
  • (Logan Motorway to Ipswich Road)
Former
route number
  • AUS Metroad 2.svg Metroad 2
  • Australian national highway 15.svg National Highway 15
Major junctions
NE endAUS Alphanumeric Route A7.svg Ipswich Road
Rocklea, Brisbane
 
SW end
Location(s)
Major suburbs / towns Oxley, Darra, Wacol, Gailes, Goodna
Highway system

The Ipswich Motorway (M7) is a major road that connects Brisbane and Ipswich in South East Queensland, Australia. It commences at the junction of Ipswich Road and Granard Road and proceeds through to the M2 Logan Motorway interchange. It is then signed M2 until the junction of the Warrego Highway and the Cunningham Highway.

Contents

It initially passes through the suburbs of Rocklea, Oxley and Darra in south west Brisbane before reaching the eastern suburbs of Ipswich such as Redbank Plains, Goodna and Riverview. The Motorway is directly connected to the M5 Centenary Motorway at Darra and the M2 Logan Motorway at Gailes. In 2008, it was estimated that 80,000 cars use the road daily. [1] In late 2010, this figure had risen to close to 100,000 vehicles per day. [2] In 2002, the morning peak traffic volume was greatest between 7:00 am and 8:00 am. By 2008, the morning peak traffic volume peaked between the hours of 5:00 am and 6:00 am.

The motorway was formed from the original Ipswich Road/Cunningham Arterial Road, which was upgraded during the 1980s and 1990s to form a grade-separated motorway-grade route. The Ipswich Motorway was commissioned on 17 May 1994.

This road consists of two separate state-controlled roads as defined by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). The part from Rocklea to Goodna is named Cunningham Arterial Road (number U16) and the other is named as part of the Cunningham Highway (number 17A). Road U16 is part of the state strategic network, and road 17A is part of the national network. [3] [4]

Upgrade

In 2003, planning for an upgrade of the entire road began. [5] The road was identified in the South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program as one requiring urgent attention. An upgrade was needed to improve safety and relieve traffic congestion. [6]

With the Federal Government funding provided, the upgrades were completed from the Centenary Motorway interchange to the Logan Motorway interchange.

The upgrade from four lanes to six between Wacol and Darra was one of the Australian Labor Party's key 2007 federal election promises. [7] The upgrade included widening the Ipswich Motorway from four to six lanes, transformation of the Centenary Highway Interchange to a free-flowing multi level system interchange and work on adjoining service roads that aims to reduce traffic on the motorway by up to 20%. [1] The Federal government has contributed a total of $3.1 billion for the upgrade. [6] The Wacol to Darra section of the motorway was officially opened on 18 April 2010. [8]

The eight kilometres upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway between Dinmore and Goodna started in mid-2009. It was completed in 2012 and officially opened on 15 May 2012. [9] The A$1.95 billion project funded by the Australian Government is delivered by the Origin Alliance consisting of the Department of Transport & Main Roads, Abigroup, Seymour Whyte, Fulton Hogan, SMEC and Parsons Brinckerhoff. [10]

The final section to be upgraded is a 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) stretch between Darra and Rocklea with its planning finalised in 2011. [5] Stage 1 of the Ipswich Motorway upgrade, the 3km section between Granard Road, Rocklea and Oxley Road, Oxley, has commenced in 2017. Construction works are scheduled for completion in late 2020. [11] This work was completed in April 2021 at a cost of $400 million. [12]

The proposed Goodna Bypass or Northern Bypass of the western section of the M2 was cancelled following the 2007 elections. [7] This 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) section of new Motorway would have taken traffic from the Warrego and Cunningham Highways to the Logan Motorway interchange including four crossings of the Brisbane River.

Interchanges

LGALocationkmmiDestinationsNotes
Brisbane Rocklea 00.0AUS Alphanumeric Route A7.svgAUS Metroad 2.svgWestern Australia MR-SM-11.svg Ipswich Road (A7) north / Granard Road (Metroad 2) east Brisbane CBD, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane Airport North–eastern terminus: continues as Ipswich Road
10.62Suscatand StreetNorth–eastbound exit and entrance
Randolph StreetSouth–westbound entrance and exit
Oxley 31.9Australian state route 35.svg Oxley Road (State Route 35) north / Blunder Road (State Route 35) south  Oxley, Inala Access to frontage roads
42.5Douglas Street north / Rudd Street south  Inala
Darra 53.1Harcourt Road north / Acanthus Street south  Richlands, Darra South–westbound exit and entrance via frontage road
6.54.0AUS Alphanumeric Route M5.svg Centenary Motorway (M5)  Jindalee, Brisbane, Springfield, Gold Coast No north–eastbound exit to M5 southbound, no south-westbound entrance from M5 northbound
Wacol 95.6Australian state route 30.svg Progress Road (State Route 30) east / Wacol Station Road west  Inala, Woodridge, Wacol
10.56.5Brisbane Road  Goodna, Redbank Plains, to Logan Motorway and Queen StreetSouth–westbound exit only
Brisbane–Ipswich boundaryWacol–Gailes boundary116.8AUS Alphanumeric Route M2.svgWestern Australia MR-SM-11.svg Logan Motorway   Logan, Gold Coast, Brisbane Airport Route transition: M7 north-eastbound, M2 south-westbound; north-eastbound exit and south-westbound entrance only
Ipswich Goodna 138.1Australian state route 61.svg Church Street (State Route 61) – north to Woogaroo Street; south to Brisbane Road, Queen Street (State Route 61), Mill Street, Smiths RoadNo south–westbound exit; south-westbound entrance via Brisbane Road
Redbank 169.9Mine Street north / Collingwood Drive south / Francis Street east  Collingwood Park, Redbank North–eastbound entrance via Francis Street
Riverview 1912AUS Alphanumeric Route M2.svgAUS Alphanumeric Route M15.svg Warrego Highway (M2) south-west / Cunningham Highway (M15) north–west  Esk, Toowoomba, Warwick South–western terminus: continues as Cunningham Highway; partial Y interchange: no access between Warrego and Cunningham highways

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warrego Highway</span> Highway in Queensland

The Warrego Highway is located in southern Queensland, Australia. It connects coastal centres to the south western areas of the state, and is approximately 715 km in length. It takes its name from the Warrego River, which is the endpoint of the highway. The entire highway is part of the National Highway system linking Darwin and Brisbane: formerly National Highway 54, Queensland began to convert to the alphanumeric system much of Australia had adopted in the early-2000s and this road is now designated as National Highway A2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cunningham Highway</span> Highway in Queensland, Australia

The Cunningham Highway is a 327-kilometre (203 mi) national highway located in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. The highway links the Darling Downs region with the urbanised outskirts of Ipswich via Cunninghams Gap.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brisbane Valley Highway</span>

The Brisbane Valley Highway is a state highway in Queensland, Australia. It links the Warrego Highway near Ipswich and the D'Aguilar Highway about 4 km (2 mi) north of Harlin. Its direction follows the approximate course of the Brisbane River. It is part of State Route A17, which is duplexed with the D'Aguilar Highway to Nanango and then becomes the Burnett Highway. State Route 85 is duplexed with the Brisbane Valley Highway from Esk to the D'Aguilar Highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Motorway (Brisbane–Brunswick Heads)</span> Motorway in New South Wales and Queensland

The Pacific Motorway is a motorway in Australia between Brisbane, Queensland, and Brunswick Heads, New South Wales, through the New South Wales–Queensland border at Tweed Heads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxley, Queensland</span> Suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Oxley is a south-western suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Oxley had a population of 8,336 people.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Logan Motorway</span> Motorway in Queensland, Australia

The M2/M6 Logan Motorway is a 30-kilometre toll road between Ipswich and the M1 or Pacific Motorway at Loganholme, and the Gateway Motorway, providing access to the Gold Coast on the eastern seaboard and to the rural areas of the Darling Downs to the west. The M6 portion runs from the Pacific Motorway to the junction with the Gateway Motorway at Drewvale, where it then becomes the M2, continuing on to merge with the Ipswich Motorway at Gailes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocklea, Queensland</span> Suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Rocklea is a suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Rocklea had a population of 1,595 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wacol, Queensland</span> Suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Wacol is a suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Wacol had a population of 3,761 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centenary Motorway</span> Motorway in Brisbane, Australia

The M5 (Centenary Motorway) is a 43-kilometre (27 mi) motorway in the western suburbs of Brisbane, Australia.

The (M2) in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is a major motorway route and southern bypass of Brisbane. It connects the Warrego Highway (A2) at Brassall to the (M1) at Eight Mile Plains via the following corridors:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ipswich Road, Brisbane</span>

Ipswich Road is major road in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The road has been an important transport route since the 19th century when it connected the towns of Brisbane and Ipswich. In the 1990s, the section from Moorooka in Brisbane to Riverview in Ipswich was replaced by the Ipswich Motorway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road transport in Brisbane</span>

The road transport in Brisbane, Australia, consists of a network of highways, freeways and motorways. Some motorways have tolls applied.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinmore, Queensland</span> Suburb of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia

Dinmore is a suburb of Ipswich in the City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Dinmore had a population of 875 people with an unemployment rate of 16.7%, in comparison to the Australian unemployment rate of 6.9%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abigroup</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toowoomba Connection Road</span>

The Toowoomba Connection Road is a 27.3 km (17.0 mi) former section of the Warrego Highway that passes through the city of Toowoomba in Queensland, Australia. With the opening of the Toowoomba Bypass in 2019 the Warrego Highway was redirected to it, and the bypassed section of the highway was renamed Toowoomba Connection Road and assigned the route number A21.

References

  1. 1 2 "Labor PM Kevin Rudd kicks off Ipswich Motorway upgrade". couriermail.com.au. Queensland Newspapers. 2 March 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
  2. Tony Moore (16 November 2010). "Early bird gets the traffic jam". Brisbane Times . Fairfax Media. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  3. The State Road Network of Queensland (PDF) (Map). Queensland Government ©State of Queensland [CC BY 4.0]. 30 June 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  4. Metropolitan District Map (east-west) Page 1 and Page 2 (Dinmore/Riverview) (PDF) (Map). Department of Transport and Main Roads ©State of Queensland [CC BY 4.0]. March 2007. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Ipswich Motorway (Darra to Rocklea) Newsletter 2" (PDF). State of Queensland. October 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  6. 1 2 "Ipswich Motorway Overview". Nation Building Program. Department of Infrastructure and Transport. 11 October 2010. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  7. 1 2 "Rudd opens Ipswich Motorway upgrade". ABC News online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 March 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
  8. "Ipswich Motorway upgrade: Wacol to Darra". Department of Transport and Main Roads. 27 July 2011. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  9. Tony Moore (15 May 2012). "Five stages down, one to go: $2.8b road upgrade completion in sight". Brisbane Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  10. "Ipswich Motorway upgrade: Dinmore to Goodna". Department of Transport and Main Roads. 17 October 2011. Archived from the original on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  11. "Ipswich Motorway Upgrade: Rocklea to Darra Stage 1 project". Department of Transport and Main Roads. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  12. "Ipswich Motorway—Rocklea to Darra - Stage 1 (Granard Road to Oxley Road)". Queensland Government. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2022.

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