New TSRC centre open
Milestone for $1.6b project
THE Toowoomba Second Range Crossing operations and maintenance centre has opened its doors to staff at Cranley, marking the start of high-tech communications on the long-awaited freight route.
Transport and Main Roads Downs South West regional director Kym Murphy said the centre would operate around the clock, seven days a week, once the road was open.
“Long gone are the days when travelling on a national freight route meant long, lonely journeys with nothing but a two-way radio for advice on the road ahead,” Ms Murphy said.
“The TSRC will use the latest technology to communicate information to drivers – we want to make your journey as safe as possible.”
Nexus Infrastructure will operate and maintain the toll road for the next 25 years using technology installed along the 41km route to assist drivers including six webcams, 10 bluetooth check points, 20 pan-tilt zoom cameras and a meteorological station.
Ms Murphy said the installations would enable quick and effective communication with drivers about road conditions.
“The cameras and meteorological station will feed information about delays, issues and obstacles into the control centre in real time,” she said.
“We’ll then inform drivers via the variable message signs and other channels.
“We’ll also be able to give truck drivers advanced warning about weather conditions via the VMS before they head up or down the Toowoomba Range.”
Toowoomba-based construction company McNab built the operations and maintenance centre.
Ms Murphy said the TSRC would improve safety for Toowoomba residents and road users by redirecting up to 80 per cent of heavy vehicle traffic away from the Toowoomba CBD.
The $1.6 billion project was scheduled to be completed by this time, however, after Nexus confirmed issues on certain parts of the bypass, that date was changed to mid-2019.