Objective 2Long term planning for sustainable delivery
Contents
- Queensland Transport Policy Long-term Transport Strategy
- Transport Coordination Plan 2017–2027
- Regional Transport Plans
- Transport System Planning Program
- Queensland Road System Performance Plan
- Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan Actions
- North East Shipping Management Plan
- Transport Infrastructure Portfolio Plan and Schedule (TIPPS) 2015–2025
- Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program (QTRIP)
- Infrastructure investment – National Partnership Agreement (NPA)
- Road Operations Portfolio Strategy (ROPS) and Action Plan (ROAP)
- Securing land for the future
- Transit Oriented Developments (TOD)
- Building our Regions
- 3PCM – contract management
- Autonomous vehicle modelling
- Cooperative and Automotive Vehicle Initiative (CAVI)
Queensland Transport Policy Long-term Transport Strategy
During the year, the department conducted extensive analysis to understand and develop responses to emerging trends that could potentially transform the transport system. These trends include the development of electric and driverless vehicle technology, a range of communication and digital technologies, and shared business models such as ride and car-sharing.
The department is now developing long-term strategic responses to the challenges and opportunities that the emerging trends pose for transport. These responses will form the core of the Queensland Transport Policy (QTP), which will be the department's long term strategy for the Queensland transport system.
The QTP will provide direction for transport over a 30 year horizon and guide more detailed transport policies, plans and funding decisions over the short, medium and long term.
It will assist in responding to strategic challenges, such as:
- enabling new technologies to help provide solutions to increasing transport demand and the changing travel needs of a diverse population
- utilising big data to gain a deeper understanding of our customers' transport needs
- developing more sustainable funding options for the transportation network.
The department will continue to engage with a number of stakeholders, including the DILGP, to ensure the QTP aligns with the State Infrastructure Plan and shapes other key initiatives, such as the Regional Transport Plans.
For more information visit:
Transport Coordination Plan 2017–2027
TMR is updating the Transport Coordination Plan 2017–2027 (TCP 2017) to set the strategic direction for the transport network in Queensland.
The TCP 2017 will help ensure our transport network:
- meets the needs of all Queenslanders, now and in the future
- connects communities to employment and vital services
- facilitates the efficient movement of people and freight to grow Queensland's economy
- is safe and secure for customers and goods
- contributes to a cleaner, healthier and more liveable environment and is resilient to Queensland's weather extremes.
The TCP 2017 will help drive value for money outcomes by providing clear criteria for spending on transport. It will improve transparency by setting out principles for decision making.
The plan places a greater emphasis on customer experience and technology and includes Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for tracking and monitoring progress against the objectives. It is intended that performance against the KPIs will be reported every two years via the department's website.
The TCP 2017 will focus on broad objectives for the transport system over the short to medium term (10 years). This will be complemented with the Queensland Transport Policy, which will be a long-term (30 year) strategy that focuses on responding to the challenges and opportunities posed by emerging technologies and trends.
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Regional Transport Plans
We are developing Regional Transport Plans (RTPs) for each of TMR's 12 districts. RTPs will play a critical role in defining the strategic direction of transport planning over the next 15 years. RTPs are being developed collaboratively with local governments, state government agencies, business, industry and targeted stakeholders.
RTPs consider regional demographic and industry changes, local government land use and transport planning and respond to relevant regional plans and the State Infrastructure Plan.
RTPs define the priorities for developing the transport system in each district based on identifying problems and opportunities for improvement, identifying short and long term opportunities for action to inform future planning and help guide network investment.
The draft Mackay Isaac Whitsunday RTP has been released for consultation.
For more information visit:
Transport System Planning Program
The Transport System Planning Program (TSPP) (see glossary) is a 'one integrated system' program of planning activities that collectively plan for the future transport network.
The TSPP is an annually reviewed, four-year rolling program of planning studies and investment projects coordinated across all modes, right across Queensland. Planning from the TSPP develops future projects to be designed and constructed through QTRIP (see glossary page 231).
The 2016–17 TSPP invested over $72 million in planning studies to further develop the transport system. Key signature projects included:
- planning to support the delivery of the 2018 Commonwealth Games
- continued development of Regional Transport Plans
- continued planning for the Bruce Highway and Pacific Motorway.
Queensland Road System Performance Plan
The Queensland Road System Performance Plan (QRSPP) guides road performance planning by determining priority projects and four year performance milestones with detailed funding allocations. This $500 million roads package for Queensland covers 2017–18 and 2020–21.
Performance against previous plans is reported in the annual TMR State of the Asset Report.
Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan Actions
The Reef 2050 Plan is a long term strategy to turn around the health of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The Reef 2050 Plan was endorsed by the state and federal governments in March 2015 in response to recommendations from the United Nations World Heritage Committee. TMR is responsible for leading the implementation of six actions from the plan.
In 2016–17 the focus has been on implementation of:
- WQA16 – develop a statewide coordinated maintenance dredging strategy - this action has now been completed
- WQA21 – Department of Environment, Heritage Protection (DEHP) are now leading this commitment as it was determined that the matter is best regulated under DEHP's existing environmental regulatory activity framework. Maritime Safety Queensland has offered to provide maritime/shipping expertise and advice as required.
Actions to be progressed in 2017–18 are:
- WQA15 – develop and implement a dredging management strategy (including capital dredging)
- EBA7 – consider development of a new vessel class which ensures bulk goods carriers travelling in the World Heritage Area meet stringent safety standards
- EBA8 – fully vet 100 per cent of bulk carriers traversing the GBR to an appropriate standard
- EBA9 – encourage industry adoption of vessel assessment activities and approval processes.
North East Shipping Management Plan
The North East Shipping Management Plan is focussed on mitigating the potential effects of large commercial trading ships and details the actions planned to enhance navigation, safety and environment protection in the north east region.
We have progressed a number of key action items in the plan, including:
- keeping pace with advances in vessel traffic systems (VTS), sensors and communications
- implementing systems to enable future Reef VTS operations to be delivered from two vessel traffic centres
- developed papers on jurisdictional responsibility for anchorages and anchorage management guidelines
- broadcast warning information to ships during the cetacean migration season
- reviewed the adequacy of the marine incident management and oil spill response arrangements in the Torres Strait including engagement with Indigenous communities on the pollution response arrangements
- completed the annual program of oil spill response equipment refurbishment
- completed the annual pollution response training program.

Facilities such as Reef VTS play a vital role with coastal navigation
Transport Infrastructure Portfolio Plan and Schedule (TIPPS) 2015–2025
The annual TIPPS provides a strategic framework for transport infrastructure investment. TIPPS strongly aligns to our Strategic Plan vision of creating a single, integrated transport network accessible to everyone.
In defining the 10 year direction of the transport infrastructure portfolio, TIPPS provides guidance for the Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program (QTRIP) development (the published four year sub-set of the portfolio) and also input into external agency planning such as the State Infrastructure Plan developed by the DILGP.
TIPPS outlines the choices TMR has made on transport infrastructure investments, taking account of the need for operation, maintenance and upgrade of the transport infrastructure assets, within an affordable funding program. The TIPPS informs TMR and Queensland Treasury discussions on an agreed funding position for the transport infrastructure portfolio.
Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program (QTRIP)
We developed and published QTRIP 2017–18 to 2020–21, in line with the TIPPS. QTRIP outlines approximately $21 billion of investment in roads and transport infrastructure, funded by the federal and state governments and other funding sources, such as local government and developer contributions.

Front cover of Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program
Key priority programs, packages and projects include:
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$8.5 billion program for Bruce Highway upgrades over 10 years (2013–14 to 2022–23), including:
- $929.3 million Bruce Highway – Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway upgrade
- $497.8 million Mackay Ring Road (Stage 1)
- $384.2 million Bruce Highway – Cooroy to Curra (Section C) project
- $635 million Warrego Highway Upgrade Program over five years (2014–15 to 2018–19)
- $260.5 million Cape York Region Package over five years (2014–15 to 2018–19)
- $160.7 million towards Commonwealth Games package of transport infrastructure works (2015–16 to 2017–18)
- $4.156 billion New Generation Rollingstock project
- $1.606 billion Toowoomba Second Range Crossing project
- $1.143 billion Gateway Upgrade North project
- $400 million Ipswich Motorway – Rocklea to Darra (Stage 1) project
- $420 million Gold Coast Light Rail (Stage 2) project.
In addition, the federal and state governments have committed to a half a billion dollar roads package for Queensland, which includes:
- the six-laning of the Pacific Motorway between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes
- a major upgrade of the Pacific Motorway/Gateway Motorway merge (southbound lanes) at Eight Mile Plains
- construction of the Walkerston Bypass near Mackay
- upgrades of the Mount Lindesay Highway.

Bruce Highway – Cooroy to Curra (Section C) Traveston Bridge Girder placement
Further, an additional $30 million was allocated in 2020–21 for the Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme that sees an increase to the ongoing base investment across the QTRIP four-year period maintained at $70 million per annum.
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Infrastructure investment – National Partnership Agreement (NPA)
The NPA on Land Transport Infrastructure Projects sets out the federal and state government investment priorities. This agreement is a joint responsibility to ensure that infrastructure investments effectively address the objectives of the Infrastructure Investment Programme (the Programme), as set out in the NPA.
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The objective of the NPA is to aspire to a safe, sustainable national transport system that enhances the interconnectivity of corridors (networks) of significant economic opportunity across Australia.
The current NPA formalises federal funding commitments and agreed state government contributions until 30 June 2019.
In 2016–17, $1.57 billion of committed federal funding under the NPA has been received by Queensland. Key projects progressed included:
- Gateway Upgrade North
- Toowoomba Second Range Crossing
- Bruce Highway – Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway upgrade
- Gold Coast Light Rail (Stage 2)
- Bruce Highway – Cooroy to Curra (Section C).

Gateway Upgrade North – Deagon Deviation widening
The Queensland Programme of Works, as a Schedule to the NPA, is amended each year by the federal government with agreed projects and funding reflected in the Federal Budget.
In the 2017–18 Federal Budget, the Queensland Programme of Works outlined $18.1 billion in federal funding commitments over the life of the agreement to Queensland projects (including funding paid directly to local councils).
Road Operations Portfolio Strategy (ROPS) and Action Plan (ROAP)
The ROPS is an internal document provides a strategic view of the road operations business, drivers and key initiatives, and how we deliver innovative solutions for proactive and effective operation of the road transport network.
The ROAP identifies key initiatives for enhancing road operations capabilities, supporting the Portfolio Strategy and the department's vision of creating a single integrated transport network accessible to everyone.
Both documents are updated regularly to address the dynamic nature of the industry. Initiatives completed or progressed this year include:
- redeveloping and launching the QLDTraffic suite of services, helping Queenslanders making informed travel decisions
- enhancing our intelligent transport systems, including further rollout of the Emergency Vehicle Priority capability
- progressing the Event Traffic Marshal policy and framework, supporting sporting and community events
- type approval of remote-controlled portable traffic signal devices at roadworks, supporting improved safety at roadworks
- further developing tools to quantify excessive congestion and the causes of congestion
- progressing investigation into a next generation traffic signal controller
- supporting departmental and government initiatives including the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and the Cooperative and Automated Vehicle Initiative.
Securing land for the future
The department acquires and disposes of properties for road and transport infrastructure projects. Properties retained by the department for existing and future infrastructure projects are leased, where possible, to derive an income for the state. This includes rail corridors and boat harbours. We are also responsible for developing strategic land opportunities, including Transit Oriented Developments (TODs) and realising commercial opportunities for the road corridor and passenger network.
Recognising the national significance of preserving transport corridors, Infrastructure Australia's Infrastructure Priority List update, released in February 2017, included a priority initiative to preserve the corridor for Salisbury to Beaudesert connection.
Transit Oriented Developments (TOD)
The department is responsible for TOD projects across south east Queensland. TODs are human-scale, urban communities focused around transit stations and include a mix of residential, retail, commercial and community uses while providing high accessibility to a transit station.
We are designing innovative solutions that deliver effective land use and transport integration while maximising the development potential of the sites. Significant progress on the construction of several TOD projects has been made in 2016–17.
Current TODs
Coorparoo Junction
Coorparoo Square is currently under construction and is due for completion in 2018. We undertook an open market process to identify a developer to purchase the land and deliver a TOD along with public transport infrastructure on the site. The development comprises 350 units in three towers with cinemas and retail below.
Buranda TOD
Stage 1 of the Buranda TOD is currently under construction, with Stage 2 and 3 to follow in the subsequent future. The Buranda TOD is a private sector development adjacent to the Buranda busway and train station and will integrate the development with the existing public transport infrastructure. The development is a mix of residential and student accommodation with retail and commercial offices. Stage 1 is expected to be completed in mid-2018.

Buranda transit oriented development, Stage 1 under construction in April 2017
Cleveland TOD
A mixed use development located at the Cleveland train station. The proposed development will consist of residential and short term tourist accommodation, and a retail outlet servicing commuters and residents to deliver a development and additional car parking. We have entered into a development agreement with the proponent. The proponent is awaiting development approval for the project.
Upcoming TODs
Mango Hill TOD Project
As a part of the Moreton Bay Rail Link (MBRL) project, we have acquired three vacant parcels of land in Mango Hill providing an opportunity to deliver a TOD to benefit the MBRL by providing increased density and facilities around the station and to promote patronage. We will soon be seeking interest from suitably qualified and experienced proponents for the design and construction for the project.
Varsity Lakes Station Precinct
Negotiations with the preferred developer are currently ongoing to deliver a TOD adjacent to the Varsity Lakes train station. The project will include additional permanent park 'n' ride facilities at the Varsity Lakes train station, in addition to temporary park 'n' ride facilities required for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Albion Train Station Precinct Redevelopment Opportunity
We are seeking a proponent to improve access to the Albion train station, consolidate commuter park 'n' ride infrastructure and take on redevelopment opportunities presented by approximately three hectares of surplus and under-utilised departmental property. The development agreement is currently being finalised with the preferred proponent.
Ferny Grove Station Precinct TOD
The department has progressed a proposal for private industry to construct a new, integrated TOD at the Ferny Grove train station. The department has entered into a Development Agreement with the preferred proponent to develop a significant end of line precinct at Ferny Grove train station, which will include approximately 250 additional car spaces for existing rail commuters, subject to detailed design.
We are also identifying and facilitating other development opportunities on underutilised or surplus land.
Building our Regions
During the year, we administered the delivery of four projects under the state government's Building our Regions program (see glossary) on behalf of the Department of State Development (DSD):
- Steger Road Upgrade, Toowoomba Regional Council
- Donoghue Highway Upgrade, Boulia Shire Council
- Carnarvon Gorge Road Upgrade, Central Highlands Regional Council
- Collins Avenue Bridge Renewal, Cairns Regional Council.
The Building our Regions program has committed $225 million for 2015–16 to 2017–18 to a targeted regional infrastructure program for local government projects. The primary purpose of the Building our Regions program is to provide funding for critical infrastructure in regional areas of the state, while also generating jobs, fostering economic development and improving the liveability of regional communities.
The department administers the delivery and reports progress on roads related council projects for DSD.
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3PCM – contract management
During the year, the 3PCM Project has replaced a number of legacy systems with a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) solution that can adapt to the changing needs of the department.
When fully implemented, the 3PCM solution will improve the planning, management and delivery of TMR's transport infrastructure by:
- defining and implementing standards, consistently applied processes for planning, managing and delivering the Transport Infrastructure Portfolio across the domains of Portfolio, Program, Project and Contract Management (3PCM)
- sourcing and implementing an integrated, strategic ICT solution that supports the business processes and rules and enables a transition away from existing legacy systems.
Autonomous vehicle modelling
The department has undertaken two rounds of Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Scenario Modelling through a Brisbane firm. The first modelling work package investigated the possible AV uptake rates and impacts on the south east Queensland road network of these vehicles in 2026, 2036 and 2046. The south east Queensland road network was considered best suited for the initial run of this modelling work due to its relative complexity, and the availability of data to support model development.
This modelling showed that it is likely that the wide scale uptake of AVs would detrimentally impact the level of congestion on the road network in south east Queensland unless a higher level of car sharing is adopted.
In the second round, the department is considering six scenarios to assess the interaction of AVs and public transport across south east Queensland. This modelling is nearing completion and is expected to be released in early 2017–18.
This work provides the state government with analysis to better understand the potential impacts of AVs on the transport network and travel behaviour change. It will help TMR to establish policies, strategies and actions to actively manage the risks and maximise the benefits associated with the introduction of AVs.
We are also planning to undertake additional modelling on the impacts on freight networks of the introduction of AVs including outside south east Queensland's extended urban area. This work will be finalised in early 2018.
Cooperative and Automotive Vehicle Initiative (CAVI)
We're delivering the CAVI with the purpose of helping the department prepare for the emergence of advanced vehicle technologies with safety, mobility and environmental benefits on Queensland roads.
These might include cooperative vehicles (similar to connected) and vehicles with automated capabilities.
The Initiative incorporates four components:
- the Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) pilot, including the largest on-road testing trial in Australia of cooperative vehicles and infrastructure
- the Cooperative and Highly Automated Driving (CHAD) pilot, including testing of a small number of vehicles with cooperative and automated technologies
- a proof of concept pilot looking at how new technology applications can benefit vulnerable road user safety including pedestrians and bicycle riders
- a change management process for the department to consider the capabilities and resources required to support widespread deployment of these vehicles on our roads.
The Initiative will be delivered collaboratively by the department's Land Transport Safety and Engineering and Technology Branches, with specialist support provided by external consultants and equipment suppliers.
Whilst the department is not involved in manufacturing vehicles, it is preparing for the deployment of cooperative and automated vehicles.
This includes work focussing on:
- developing policy to support positive outcomes
- supporting regulation, legislation, licensing and possible certification and testing
- managing infrastructure, data and system integration
- conducting pilot projects and feasibility studies.




Example use cases to be trialled in the C-ITS pilot
The goal of CAVI is to pilot cooperative and automated vehicle technologies that make roads safer and contribute towards the Queensland Government's vision of zero road deaths and serious injuries on the state's roads. The project will run from 2017 to 2021.
The project has commenced engagement with market providers to undertake high level design and requirements definition with implementation schedule to occur from 2018–19 financial year.
We will recruit around 500 Ipswich motorists who will have their vehicles retrofitted with C-ITS technology to take part in the pilot.