Capricorn Highway
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English Template:Infobox Australian road
The Capricorn Highway is located in Central Queensland, Australia, and links the city of Rockhampton with western Queensland.<ref name=Qgov>Template:Cite web</ref> The highway is Template:Convert long, and joins the Landsborough Highway at Barcaldine.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> Formerly National Route 66, Queensland began to convert to the alphanumeric system much of Australia had adopted in the early-2000s and is now designated as A4. The highway runs parallel with the Tropic of Capricorn, hence its name.
Other towns situated along the highway include (from east to west): Gracemere, Kabra, Stanwell, Westwood, Gogango, Duaringa, Dingo, Bluff, Blackwater, Comet, Emerald, Bogantungan, Alpha and Jericho.
Running virtually east/west, the highway traverses the area known as the Central Highlands, and crosses the Great Dividing Range between Alpha and Jericho.
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Capricorn Highway (green on black)
State-controlled road
Capricorn Highway is a state-controlled state-strategic road. It is defined in four sections, as follows:
- Number 16A, Rockhampton to Duaringa.
- Number 16B, Duaringa to Emerald.
- Number 16C, Emerald to Alpha.
- Number 16D, Alpha to Barcaldine.<ref name=TMR>Template:Cite map</ref><ref name=FD>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=CW>Template:Cite web</ref>
Northern Australia Roads Program upgrade
The Northern Australia Roads Program announced in 2016 included the following project for the Capricorn Highway.
Highway duplication
The project to duplicate the section between Rockhampton and Gracemere was completed in mid 2021 at a total cost of $75 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This will facilitate the construction of the south-western entry to the proposed Rockhampton Ring Road.
Northern Australian Beef Roads Upgrade
The Northern Australia Beef Roads Program announced in 2016 included the following project:
Road train access to Rockhampton (stage 2)
The project for upgrading between Gracemere saleyards and the Rockhampton abattoirs to provide access for Type 1 Road Trains was completed by early 2021 at a total cost of $30 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It involved about Template:Convert of road improvements on four roads:
- Capricorn Highway – from Saleyards Road at Gracemere to the Bruce Highway roundabout at Rochhampton (Template:Convert).
- Bruce Highway – from the Capricorn Highway roundabout to the Yaamba Road intersection (Template:Convert).
- Rockhampton–Yeppoon Road – from the Bruce Highway intersection south-west to the Emu Park Road intersection (Template:Convert.
- Rockhampton–Emu Park Road – from the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road intersection to St Christophers Chapel Road at Template:QLDcity (Template:Convert).
Roads of strategic importance upgrades
The Roads of Strategic Importance initiative, last updated in March 2022, included the following projects for the Capricorn Highway.
Corridor upgrade
A lead project to upgrade the Mount Isa to Rockhampton corridor, including sections of the Capricorn and Landsborough Highways and surrounding state and council roads, at an estimated cost of $237.5 million, was in the planning and scoping stage. Works are expected to include progressive sealing, lane duplications and crossing upgrades.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Intersection upgrade Gregory Highway
A project to upgrade the intersection with the Gregory Highway in Template:QLDcity at a cost of $7.9 million is scheduled for completion in mid-2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This project was targeted for "early works" by the Queensland Government.<ref name=early>Template:Cite web</ref>
Other upgrades
Intersection upgrade
A project to upgrade an intersection in Blackwater, at a cost of $6.24 million, was expected to finish in early 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Pavement strengthening and/or widening
A project to strengthen and widen pavement just east of Emerald, at a cost of $5 million, was expected to finish in mid-2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
A project to widen pavement east of Alpha, at a cost of $9.65 million, was due for completion in late 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Major intersections
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Intersecting state-controlled roads
In addition to the Bruce, Leichhardt, Gregory and Landsborough Highways, and the Fitzroy Developmental Road, the following state-controlled roads, from east to west, intersect with the Capricorn Highway:
- Gavial–Gracemere Road
- Biloela–Duaringa Road
- Duaringa Connection Road
- Blackwater–Rolleston Road
- Blackwater–Cooroorah Road
- Comet River Road
- Anakie–Sapphire Road
- Alpha–Tambo Road
- Clermont–Alpha Road
- Blackall–Jericho Road
- Barcaldine–Aramac Road<ref name=TMR/><ref name=FD/><ref name=CW/>
Biloela–Duaringa Road
Template:Infobox road small Biloela–Duaringa Road is a state-controlled district road (number 462), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).<ref name=TMR/><ref name=FD/> It runs from the Capricorn Highway in Template:QLDcity to the Don River crossing on the Gainsford / Template:QLDcity boundary, a distance of Template:Convert. It does not intersect with any other state-controlled roads. The physical road continues south as Kokotungo–Don River Road.<ref>Template:Google maps</ref>
Blackwater–Cooroorah Road
Template:Infobox road small Blackwater–Cooroorah Road is a state-controlled district road (number 513), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).<ref name=TMR/><ref name=FD/> It runs from the Capricorn Highway in Template:QLDcity to the Coronado Curragh Mine in Blackwater, a distance of Template:Convert. It does not intersect with any other state-controlled roads. The physical road continues north.<ref>Template:Google maps</ref>
Comet River Road
Template:Infobox road small Comet River Road is a state-controlled district road (number 4607), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).<ref name=TMR/><ref name=FD/> It runs from the Capricorn Highway in Template:QLDcity to the northern boundary of Template:QLDcity, where it becomes Comet–Rolleston Road, a distance of Template:Convert. It does not intersect with any other state-controlled roads.<ref>Template:Google maps</ref>
Anakie–Sapphire Road
Template:Infobox road small Anakie–Sapphire Road is a state-controlled district road (number 5501), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).<ref name=TMR/><ref name=FD/> It runs from Bon Accord Road in Template:QLDcity, across the Capricorn Highway, to Rubyvale Road in Template:QLDcity, a distance of Template:Convert. It does not intersect with any other state-controlled roads.<ref>Template:Google maps</ref>
Alpha–Tambo Road
Template:Infobox road small Alpha–Tambo Road is a state-controlled district road (number 443), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).<ref name=TMR/><ref name=CW/> It runs from the Capricorn Highway in Template:QLDcity to the Dawson Developmental Road in Template:QLDcity, a distance of Template:Convert. It does not intersect with any other state-controlled roads.<ref>Template:Google maps</ref>