General Information:

M/A2 is the main link from Brisbane to the northern territory. It varies from motorway standard in the Brisbane metropolitan area, to dual carriageway rural highway standard between Brisbane and Toowoomba, and rural highway standard beyond Toowoomba.

History:

• 1849: Surveyor J.C. Burnett found a better route to the north to replace the road from Brisbane over the Toowoomba Range (via Gormans Gap, south of the city). This new route was to later become Toll Bar Road. 2
• 1853: A gang of twelve workers cleared and constructed a better road along the route of what would become Toll Bar Road. 2
• January 1855: Toll Bar Road opens. A simple gatehouse was erected at the top of the range, near the current intersection of Ipswich and Curtis Streets in Toowoomba. A bar crossing the road and a fence either side stopped traffic and enabled toll collection of approximately two pence. Toll Bar Road consisted of a rough stone pavement on very steep grades. As the road was unsealed and very steep, with grades as much as 14%, it was subject to severe scouring during heavy rains. 2
• 13 December 1921: Brisbane-Toowoomba Road was declared a Main Road under the Main Roads Act, 1920. 2
• 24 September 1932: The Main Roads Commission proclaimed the Toll Bar Road a State Highway when it became part of the Lockyer-Darling Downs Highway. 2
• 1938: A major upgrade of the range road took place. The most significant change was to the uppermost section, with the new route reaching the top of the range further north. 2
• December 1939: Work to upgrade the range road completed. 2
• 29 January 1940: A two-lane bitumen Toowoomba range road was formally opened by the Honourable H.A. Bruce, Minister for Public Works, MLA. The new range road was a vast improvement on the old Toll Bar Road as it provided a 6.1m wide bitumen surfaced pavement over a length of 3.7km and climbed a total height of 350m. The average rate of climb was nearly 9%, although the actual grades varied between 7.5% and 10.5% with the exception of a short flattening in the vicinity of a saddle which had become known as "Essex Evans" due to the fact that the poet George Essex Evans (1863-1909) once resided at this location. 2
• 1964: The Main Roads Department commenced the duplication of the road at an estimated cost of £185 000. By 1964 the traffic volume had reached 2300 vehicles per day, of which approximately 500 were heavy trucks and semi-trailers. The alignment of the upgrading project was along the existing road from the foot of the range proper to the saddle at Essex Evans. However, an entirely new up-lane from Essex Evans to the top was constructed on the southern side of the existing road. The new up-lane was slightly longer, with improved horizontal and vertical alignment and an increased width of 7.3m. The basic route used by Warrego Highway today, has remained unaltered since 1940. 2
• 2004: Warrego Highway rennumbered from NH54 to A2 under the Tourism Strategic Routes plan. 3
• 2006: Laidley-Plainland interchange on the Warrego Highway upgrade completed. 4
• May 2008: Completion of upgrade works at the intersection of the Warrego Highway and Claus Road at Haigslea, west of Ipswich. 5
• April 2016: Construction begins on Toowoomba Range Second Crossing.
• 8 September 2019: Toowoomba Range Second Crossing completely open to traffic.

This page concentrates on the former A2 alignment through the Toowoomba area.

1 The State Road Network Map, 30 June 2008
2 Queensland Roads, Edition No 5, (Toowoomba Range Tunnels Report), March 2008
3 QMR, Strategic Tourism Routes Revision 12
4 Ministerial Media Statements, Federal Government own worst enemy on roads: Lucas, 25 July 2006
5 Ministerial Media Statements, Haigslea intersection easier to negotiate, 22 May 2008

Last updated: 21-Oct-2021 13:57

This site © Paul Rands. All rights reserved. Some portions © (copyright) by their respective and credited owners. Permission must be obtained before using any images from this site. For details, please email by clicking here.