Statistics:
- Length:
- 47 km
- Termini:
- Northern: Eenie Creek Rd (SR6) and Walter Hay Dr (unnumbered), Noosaville
- Southern: Bruce Hwy (M1) and Frizzo Connection Rd, Tanawha
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Tanawha, Sippy Downs, Buderim, Mountain Creek, Mooloolaba, Buderim, Kuluin, Maroochydore, Bli Bli, Pacific Paradise, Marcoola, Mount Coolum, Coolum Beach, Peregian Springs, Peregian Beach, Weyba Downs, Doonan and Noosaville
Route Numbering:
- Current: 70
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- 150A (Tanawha to Mooloolaba)
- 150B (Mooloolaba to Peregian Springs)
- 144 (Peregian Springs to Doonan)
General Information:
State Route 70 is a major arterial route linking the Bruce Hwy (M1) with several coastal suburbs along the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane.
The route is limited access for its length, and passes through residential, commercial, industrial and bushland areas, and acts as a bypass of the busy local roads around the coast.
State Route 70 is a mix of divided and undivided motorway road, with at-grade access north of the North Shore Connection Road interchange at Pacific Paradise. It is also north of this interchange the route changes from mostly divided to undivided roadway with 1 lane in each direction.
Sunshine Motorway:
The Sunshine Motorway segment of the route began life as a toll road, with a franchise period of 30 years, after which date, the assets of the company were to revert to the State of Queensland. 2 The tolling period instead ended in 1996 after strong community opposition.
The Sunshine Motorway Company Limited was formed to construct, operate and maintain the Sunshine Motorway. 2 The motorway was originally built in two stages and further upgraded in the first decade of the 21st century.
History:
- 20 January 1990: Opening of Sunshine Motorway Stage One (Bruce Highway to Pacific Paradise). 3 The motorway opened as in a Super-2 configuration, with one lane in each direction. 4
- July 1992: Earthworks for Stage 2 of Sunshine Motorway at Pacific Paradise performed and completed under contract to Maroochy Shire Council. 5
- October 1993: Emu Mountain Road Upgrade between Peregian Beach and Doonan. 3
- 29 December 1993: Opening of Sunshine Motorway Stage Two (Pacific Paradise to Emu Mountain Road). 3
- 08 March 1996: Official decommissioning of Sunshine Motorway toll plazas. 3
- 28 April 2006: Link road between Sunshine Motorway and Eenie Creek Road (later named Walter Hay Drive). 3
- July 2006: Work began on the second Maroochy River Bridge providing six lanes of traffic across the river in place of the original two lanes. 6
- 14 September 2007: Construction begins on North Shore Connection Road and its interchange with Sunshine Motorway at Pacific Paradise. Bridge work involved the driving of 4700 metres of prestressed concrete piles, the placement of 2500 cubic metres of concrete and the installation of 4400 tonnes of girders and deck units. 7
- 8 December 2007: Opening of the duplicated Maroochy River Bridge by Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt. 8
- July 2008: Completion of the upgrade of the Sunshine Motorway between Sippy Downs Drive and Kawana Way. 9
- 24 July 2008: The new Dixon Road / Claymore Road Interchange was officially opened by Premier Anna Bligh and Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt. 8
- August 2008: Widening of the original Maroochy River Bridge finished. 8
- October 2008: Completion of two new bridges over David Low Way. 9 Traffic signals at the upgraded Maroochydore Road Interchange were switched on. The interchange was completely redesigned to eliminate a roundabout that was under the Sunshine Motorway. 8
- December 2008: Completion of the upgrade of the Sunshine Motorway between Maroochydore Road and David Low Way. 9
- 28 April 2009: North Shore Connection Road and its interchange with Sunshine Motorway at Pacific Paradise officially opened to traffic. 7
1 QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland state-controlled roads and region maps, North Coast Region, November 2022.
2 Sunshine Motorway Company, Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1996.
3 Tyler Bullock.
4 QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Media Release, Sunshine Motorway Upgrade, Maroochydore Road to David Low Way – Construction Update, December 2008.
5 Sunshine Motorway Company, Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1992.
6 QLD Government, Media Releases, Work starts next week on new Maroochy River Bridge, 20 July 2006.
7 QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Main Roads Local Links, In and around the North Coast, May 2009.
8 QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Main Roads Local Links, In and around the North Coast, November 2008.
9 QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Projects, Sunshine Motorway Upgrade Pacific Paradise interchange and bypass.