8 December, 2022
Eight Mile project completed
Work has now been completed on the infamous Eight Mile intersection where the New England and Cunningham Highways part, between Allora and Warwick.
The Australian and Queensland governments jointly invested $25 million in the project to improve safety at the site.
The single-lane overpass for traffic travelling from Toowoomba to Warwick on the New England Highway is a major safety improvement at the intersection.
Construction to upgrade the intersection started in February 2021 and traffic was moved onto the new overpass last month.
Since the overpass was opened to traffic, the final touches of the intersection upgrade have been completed.
This included removing the old lanes for southbound vehicles turning left or right from the New England Highway onto the Cunningham Highway, and opening the new left-turn slip lane from the New England Highway onto the Cunningham Highway.
More than 5,500 vehicles travel through the intersection each day, a quarter of which are commercial or heavy vehicles.
The upgrade will improve efficiency, especially for freight, as vehicles on the Cunningham Highway will be able to travel through the junction more easily.
The project has included a plan to protect a native plant species.
Picris evae, commonly known as Hawkweed, is now flowering at the Eight Mile intersection.
Hawkweed is a member of the daisy family and flowers annually, like dandelions.
It is a local native and listed as vulnerable under both the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
To protect the local Hawkweed population, known plant locations were avoided during construction and topsoil that was likely to contain seed was stockpiled and re-spread.
Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey has welcomed completion of the works.
“After completing a major traffic switch onto the new overpass just months ago, we have now wrapped up this major safety upgrade,” Mr Bailey said.
“This intersection was previously a conflict point between two major highways running through regional Queensland and is now vastly safer through the removal of the T-intersection.
“We know that the movement of heavy vehicles especially will be much improved now that this project is complete – meaning essential supplies will arrive safer and sooner.
“Thank you to local drivers for their patience as we delivered this mammoth upgrade.”
