The Peak Downs Highway links the towns of

Mackay Mackay may refer to: *Clan Mackay, the Scottish clan from which the surname "MacKay" derives Mackay may also refer to: Places Australia * Mackay Region, a local government area ** Mackay, Queensland, a city in the above region *** Mackay Airpor ...

and Clermont in the Australian state of

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

.Queensland Government - Department of Transport and Main Roads - Maps
/ref> It represents the main link between Queensland's

Whitsunday Whitsun (also Whitsunday or Whit Sunday) is the name used in Britain, and other countries among Anglicans and Methodists, for the Christian High Holy Day of Pentecost. It is the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the H ...

Coast and the Central West region of the state. The highway runs for a total length of , before joining the

Gregory Highway The Gregory Highway is a state highway in Queensland, Australia that serves the major coal-mining centres of Central Queensland. The highway was named after Augustus Gregory, an early explorer. Route description The highway runs southward from ...

(Highway A7, formerly Highway 55) south to Clermont, a total of . Major settlements served by this route include Walkerston, Nebo, Moranbah ( north of the highway, but the largest town along the route) and Clermont.

Highway conditions

The highway is notorious for the extremely dangerous conditions caused by its service as a primary access route for workers, fuel, machinery and other supplies to the coal mines of the Bowen Basin. The narrow two-lane highway is often congested with

oversize load In road transport, an oversize load (or overweight load) is a load that exceeds the standard or ordinary legal size and/or weight limits for a truck to convey on a specified portion of road, highway, or other transport infrastructure, such as a ...

s (e.g. mining haul-trucks, dozers and excavators, tyres and buckets) and road trains, which presents a significant hazard and frustration to fatigued long-haul commuters (Drive-in, Drive-out mine workers) on the road. Coal Train next to Peak Downs Highway

Northern Australia Roads Program upgrade

The

Northern Australia Roads Program Northern Australia Roads Program is a suite of projects designed to deliver upgrades to high priority roads in northern Australia. In 2016 the Australian Government announced 19 projects to be funded under this program, and in 2020 another was add ...

announced in 2016 included the following project for the Peak Downs Highway.

Pavement widening and strengthening

The project for pavement widening and strengthening between Clermont and Nebo is expected to be complete in late 2022 at a total cost of $35 million.

Other upgrades

Eton Range realignment

A project to realign and upgrade the road on the Eton Range, at a cost of $189.26 million, was completed in October 2020.

Rehabilitate and widen

A project to rehabilitate and widen of highway near Wolfgang Road, at a cost of $11.5 million, was completed in March 2022.

Road safety improvements

A project to improve road safety between Eton and Mackay, at a cost of $18 million, was due to finish in late 2021.

Walkerston bypass

A project to construct a bypass of Walkerston, at a cost of $186.6 million, was expected to be complete by mid to late 2024.

Major intersections

References

External links

{{Road infrastructure in Queensland Highways in Queensland Mackay, Queensland