Dawson Highway


The Dawson Highway is a state highway in Queensland, Australia. It runs for between Gladstone and Springsure where it terminates. From Gladstone to Rolleston it is signed as State Route 60, and then A7 onwards to Springsure. It continues west for another as Dawson Developmental Road to Tambo on the Landsborough Highway. North of Springsure, A7 becomes the Gregory Highway.
Many of the towns along the Dawson Highway are coal-mining establishments.

State-controlled road

Dawson Highway is a state-controlled regional road, a small part of which is rated as "state-strategic". It is defined in four sections, as follows:

Intersecting state-controlled roads

In addition to the Bruce, Burnett, Leichhardt, Carnarvon and Gregory Highways, and the Fitzroy and Dawson Developmental Roads, the following state-controlled roads, from east to west, intersect with the Dawson Highway:
Biloela–Callide Road is a state-controlled district road, rated as a local road of regional significance. It runs from the Dawson Highway in to the Callide Dam in Mount Murchison, a distance of. It does not intersect with any other state-controlled roads.

Blackwater–Rolleston Road

Blackwater–Rolleston Road is a state-controlled district road, rated as a local road of regional significance. It runs from the Capricorn Highway in to the Dawson Highway in, a distance of. It does not intersect with any other state-controlled roads.

Orion Ten Chain Road

Orion Ten Chain Road is a state-controlled district road, rated as a local road of regional significance. It runs from the Dawson Highway in to Karingal Homestead in Orion, a distance of. It does not intersect with any other state-controlled roads.

Upgrades

Replace bridges

The existing timber bridges on the Dawson Highway were subject to regular closures due to flooding. The $40 million replacement of 5 timber bridges project was completed in April 2018. The timber bridges were replaced with concrete structures to increase freight efficiency and flood immunity along the Dawson Highway. The new bridges were constructed at; Nine Mile Creek, Catfish Creek, Sheep Station Creek, Maxwelton Creek and Doubtful Creek.

Replace bridge near Tambo

A project to replace a timber bridge over the Barcoo River immediately north of Tambo, at a cost of $7 million, was expected to complete in mid-2022.

Replace Roundstone Creek bridge

A project to replace the Roundstone Creek bridge, at a cost of $12 million, was expected to complete in early 2022.

Strengthen bridges and improve pavement

A project to strengthen 5 bridges and to widen and rehabilitate of paving, at a cost of $14.2 million, was expected to complete in June 2022

Design cycle facilities

A project to design cycle facilities for Glenlyon Street to Harvey Road in Gladstone, at a cost of $2.05 million, was to complete in December 2021.

Roads of Strategic Importance Upgrades

The Roads of Strategic Importance initiative, last updated in March 2022, includes the following projects for the Dawson Highway.

Corridor upgrade

A lead project to upgrade the Townsville to Roma corridor, including sections of the Gregory, Carnarvon and Dawson Highways and surrounding state and council roads, at an estimated cost of $125 million, commenced construction of some work projects in 2020. Planning continues for other projects.

Pavement strengthening and widening

A project to strengthen and widen sections of pavement between Banana and Rolleston at a cost of $6 million was completed in December 2020. This project was targeted for "early works" by the Queensland Government.

Roundstone Creek bridge overflow upgrade

A project to upgrade the Roundstone Creek bridge overflow at a cost of $6 million is due for completion in mid-2022. This project is targeted for "early works" by the Queensland Government.

Biloela heavy vehicle bypass

A project to construct a heavy vehicle bypass of Biloela for the Dawson Highway at a cost of $2.7 million is due for completion in late 2022.

Progressive sealing and new bridge

A project to upgrade and seal sections of the Dawson Developmental Road, and to build a new bridge over the Barcoo River, at a cost of $57 million is expected to finish in mid-2023. This project was targeted for "early works" by the Queensland Government, and has been split into two packages.

Proposals

The Queensland Inland Freight Route is a proposal to upgrade the existing highways from to. This would involve significant upgrades to the Dawson Highway between Springsure and Rolleston.