100 Years of Transport and Main Roads

80 years on, the Main Roads Department had evolved into a road system manager with its eye on coordinated integrated transport services.

Queensland's population had increased by 1.5m people between 1976 and 2000 and by 2002 Main Roads was responsible for 33,500 kilometres of state-controlled roads. The state had more than 2.3m registered vehicles. By the end of the decade, there were over 4.08m registered vehicles.

Main Roads continued to adopt practices for developing infrastructure that was socially, environmentally and economically sustainable and adopted elements of sustainability reporting recommended by the United Nations Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

Motorway and Centenary Highway interchange - Darra to Springfield Transport Corridor: Stage 1

Looking east along the Sunshine Motorway and the Kawana Interchange at Sippy Downs, towards the ocean

Unveiled plaque during the opening ceremony for the Barkly Highway Upgrade, Johnson Creek Project

A new road network strategy was introduced during 2001–2002 – Roads Connecting Queenslanders – a 20-year view of the Queensland road network, what infrastructure and systems will be needed in two decades, and when should they be delivered.

A portfolio-wide strategy on intelligent transport systems was developed for the Pacific Highway which included detector loops for freeway monitoring, closed-circuit television surveillance, variable message signs and fibre optic communications.

The completed Tugun Bypass Project Road was opened to traffic in June 2008 including the tunnel with Intelligent Transport System (ITS)

Southern portal with VMS

Variable Messaging Sign

Automated road flood warning system was developed which aimed to give district officers and the motoring public more notice and information of emergency responses and road closures.

Fibre optic cabling linked Main Roads' Brisbane traffic management centre with Queensland police Roma Street communication centre and Queensland Transport Busway operating centre. This allowed operators to share close-circuit television images and data.

The Brisbane Metropolitan Transport Management Centre officially opened in May 2007 which provides real-time traffic information via the traffic report hotline 13 19 40.

Brisbane Metropolitan Transport Management Centre in 2002

Official opening of the Brisbane Metropolitan Transport Management Centre in May 2007 which provides real-time traffic information via the traffic report hotline 131940

Road building is one source of employment in remote Indigenous communities and the department was committed to working with these communities to improve quality of life and self-sufficiency. In 2002 the department launched the Transport and Main Roads portfolio strategy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to formalise this relationship. The system supports the employment and training of staff from local communities and recognises and respects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and heritage.

Worker at the industrial estate, Magnesium Drive Crestmead

Roadside landscaper

Workers in training programs

2002 the Main Roads' commercial arm changed its name to RoadTek.

RoadTek workers in Personal Protective Equipment

RoadTek, Cluden Depot

The Main Roads Department remained as a separate department until 2009 when once again Queensland Transport and Main Roads underwent machinery of Government process and on 26 March 2009 became the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR).

Connecting Queensland

Initiated work on the $1.88b Gateway Upgrade, at the time Queensland’s largest road and bridge project.

Gateway bridge under construction

Construction of the new 7 kilometre 6-lane motorway connecting the Gateway Bridges to the Gateway Motorway at Nudgee Bridge over Kedron Brook

Gateway Upgrade Project 2009

The go card was launched throughout Brisbane in February 2008. The system covered an area of 10,000 kilometres squared and was available on 2,200 buses; at 153 train stations, 24 ferry wharves and 19 light rail stops.

Bus tap on

Station tap off

How to use your go card

The $198m Northern Busway, Royal Children's Hospital to Windsor and new busway station at the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital made catching the bus to the hospital more accessible and quicker.

Royal Children's Hospital busway station

Twenty-five additional rest areas for heavy vehicles to manage fatigue—$5m from red light and speed camera revenue was dedicated to heavy vehicle rest areas in 2009–2010.

Heavy Vehicle Rest Area - Burnett Highway

The introduction of the Audio Tactile Line Markings (ATLM) was used as a road safety measure. The noise and vibration created when driven over by a vehicles tyre 'wake up' fatigued road users.

Audio tactile line markings

In 2009, Queensland celebrated its 150th anniversary, it was a timely reminder of the importance of transport in shaping our great state, past, present and future. The Q150 Bridge Naming Program highlights the special affinity Queenslanders have for those bridges that have played a critical part in connecting people and industry, building the state’s prosperity and connecting Queenslanders.

Mabel Park School Pedestrian overpass

Q150 branded bridge

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