The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is undertaking planning to improve safety and reduce congestion at the Caloundra Road, Kawana Way Link Road and Bells Creek Arterial Road intersection in Caloundra.

TMR is planning to deliver a staged intersection upgrade that will form part of a new north–south, intra-regional motorway (Sunshine Motorway, through the upgraded Mooloolah River Interchange, onto Kawana Motorway, Kawana Way Link Road and Bells Creek Arterial Road to the Bruce Highway).

We are completing a business case for the future staged upgrades. Our community provided input in November 2021. Further feedback on the updated concept designs was provided between 31 January 2023 and 16 February 2023.

Thank you for your contributions.

The feedback provided will be considered as we finalise the business case for this project. Detailed design and construction will be subject to future funding availability in consideration of competing priorities across the state.

For further information about this project, visit the project web page.

Planning has identified a grade-separated upgrade solution to manage future traffic demands in the long term and an interim traffic signal upgrade, to reduce congestion and improve travel times and safety in the shorter-term.

The shorter term option to introduce traffic signals will form a part of the longer term grade-separated interchange. This means if the traffic signals are constructed first, the new infrastructure will make up one of the ramp terminals when the grade separated interchange is constructed.

During the first phase of consultation in 2021, most people told TMR they would like to see the Stage 2 (longer term) solution constructed in the first instance. This feedback will be included in the business case, which helps inform funding decisions.

As this project will compete with other projects across the state for funding, it is important TMR includes the Stage 1 solution in the business case to provide a shorter term investment option for this increasingly busy intersection should funding not yet be available for the Stage 2 solution.

Click on the tabs below to learn more about the key features of the concept designs for Stages 1 and 2.

TMR proposes to replace the existing roundabout with a 4-way signalised intersection in the shorter- term. This would reduce congestion, improve travel times and safety, and could be delivered sooner than a grade-separated interchange (the long term solution).

This interim option will:

• reduce delays for all road users
• be constructed slightly west of the current roundabout (the roundabout is replaced)
• include signalised pedestrian crossings to improve safety for pedestrians and bike ridersaddress current congestion and delays that will be compatible with a further upgrade to a grade-separated interchange to meet longer term traffic demand
• address current congestion and delays that will be compatible with a further upgrade to a grade-separated interchange to meet longer term traffic demand
• form the first stage of the proposed longer term solution (i.e. the long-term solution would retain this short-term solution as part of the overall design)
• reduce traffic impacts during construction of Stage 2.

TMR has incorporated community feedback into the designs for both stages. The updated design will ensure efficient movement through the intersection and improve pedestrian and bike rider connections.

Proposed changes for Stage 1 include:

• changing the turn lanes to be dual lanes and extending them, to keep traffic moving through the intersection
• additional pathways in all directions for improved pedestrian and bike rider connections
• additional pedestrian crossings on all legs to better cater for pedestrian/bike rider travel routes
• phasing (timed crossings) for pedestrians/bike riders on all legs of the intersection.

For Stage 2 the intersection will be upgraded to a grade-separated interchange. This will meet future increased traffic demands resulting from ongoing urban growth.

This option:

• uses the Stage 1 solution as part of the overall design
• provides a north-south overpass between Kawana Way Link Road and Bells Creek Arterial Road
• will further improve safety and travel time with the overpass separating north–south traffic from east–west Caloundra Road traffic. The overpass is proposed for north–south as this would allow vehicles to maintain a higher speed along the new north–south motorway connection (refer to the project map for this new connection).

Proposed changes for Stage 2 include:

• dual left-turn lanes added from Caloundra Road eastern approach and dual right-turn lanes added on western approach
• increased distance between the signals on Caloundra Road to improve traffic signal operations
• improved connections for pedestrians and bike riders – making it easier and safer to travel east–west along Caloundra Road and north–south along the future motorway with:
  • 4 pedestrian/bike rider (active transport) bridges including one as part of the motorway overpass
  • a direct east–west pedestrian/bike rider (active transport) pathway under the north-south motorway (overpass) bridges at Caloundra Road, providing a more direct east–west connection through the interchange
• allowance for ramp metering on entry ramps to the north-south motorway.