The Ipswich Motorway Upgrade between Rocklea and Darra is progressing with the permanent closure of the westbound exit ramp to Rudd and Douglas Streets in Oxley scheduled in early June 2019.
Pleased with the progress of the project, Transport and Main Roads Director General Neil Scales said that the permanent closure will mark another important milestone and will help improve safety and traffic operation as the number of merging and weaving will be reduced.
“This exit ramp is the third of four permanent ramp closures planned, reducing the number of accesses and bring the remaining ones up to the latest standards,” Mr Scales said.
“The Rudd/Douglas Street exit ramp closure will affect traffic wishing to access these streets from the Ipswich Motorway, towards Ipswich.
“Diversions and signs will be in place and access to local businesses and residences will be maintained,” he said.
Once completed, the $400-million project will make the Ipswich Motorway a safer road to travel on, Mr Scales said, providing wider traffic lanes and shoulders, longer entry ramps, and less merging.
“Completing these works under traffic and within such a constrained corridor takes a tremendous amount of planning and scheduling,” he said.
“With more than 85,000 vehicles travelling through this section of the motorway every day, for a project that is only 3kms long there is a lot of activity.
Mr Scales appealed to motorists to remain alert through these important roadworks, to be aware of the changes to traffic conditions, and to drive safely.
About Rocklea to Darra – Stage 1 Project
The Rocklea to Darra – Stage 1 is a 3km upgrade project on the eastern end of the Ipswich Motorway between Granard Road in Rocklea and Oxley Road in Oxley. To be completed in stages, the project is aimed at improving travel time, traffic flow, safety on the motorway, connectivity, and flood immunity.
The upgrade works will include:
- upgrading the motorway from 4 to 6 lanes
- higher bridges over Oxley Creek, including 7 new bridges
- new 1.5km Boundary Road Connection Road linking Boundary Road, Rocklea across the Oxley floodplain through to the Blunder Road intersection at Oxley
- new northern service road over the Oxley Creek floodplain
- new traffic signals at the Suscatand Street intersection.
