What are we doing?

Toowoomba Regional Council is undertaking the detailed design of the Highfields/ Kratzke/ O’Brien Roads intersections and related road links project.

Please check out our fly-through video of the 50% design stage. Toowoomba Regional Council is on track to fulfilling a high-quality landscaping outcome that aligns with the Central Highfields Master Plan. Please note, the landscaping featured in this video is indicative only, and adjustments to the layout may occur to meet infrastructure and design needs, potentially involving the repositioning or removal of trees.


These roadworks are the first stage in the implementation of the Central Highfields Master Plan (published July 2018) and the Central Highfields Structure Plan (published December 2019). Both plans were developed in consultation with the Highfields Community.

The intersections being designed as new roundabouts include:

  • Highfields Road/ Kratzke Road/ O’Brien Road intersection
  • Highfields Road/ Lauder Drive intersection
  • Highfields Road/ Rogers Drive intersection

The works also include a realignment of O’Brien Road, with an additional roundabout included for access to the proposed Highfields town centre.

This project aims to improve the safety and connectivity of all road users with the design and construction of new roundabouts which prioritise pedestrian and cyclist movements in line with current standards.

Below: Locations for roundabouts in Central Highfields

Cycleway links through Highfields

As part of this project, principal cycleway paths will be integrated into the proposed roundabouts at the following additional locations:

  • O’Brien Road - between Balmoral Street/ O'Brien Road Roundabout (recently constructed as part of Council’s Highfields Library Project) and Highfields Road.
  • Highfields Road - From the proposed intersection of Kratzke Road, Highfields Road and O’Brien Road heading south-east on Highfields Road.
  • Kratzke Road - From the proposed intersection of Kratzke Road, Highfields Road and O’Brien Road heading south-west on Kratzke Road.

The new cycleways and roundabouts will provide connectivity within the existing Highfields area, as well as to the Council owned land at Central Highfields. The future development of this land is separate to this roadworks project.

What is next?

Council has engaged RMA Engineers to undertake the detailed design of this Highfields/ Kratzke/ O’Brien Roads intersections and related road links project.

  • Council to continue seeking and reviewing feedback from the community.
  • Council to commence essential utility relocations and the installation of new water and sewer infrastructure.
  • Continue towards detailed design
  • If you would like to be notified via email alert when this occurs, please complete the following form.
  • If you have any further queries about this project, please contact Council on 131 872 quoting ‘Highfields Road’.

Subscription Form - intersection upgrades

Background

The role of Highfields Road is progressively changing, from a traditional through route for traffic to and from Toowoomba, to a road that motorists use to travel to the local destinations now available within central Highfields. This changing role has presented the challenge of how to provide the appropriate transport infrastructure on Highfields Road to service the local function of a town centre, whilst maintaining the through function of distributing traffic to and from Toowoomba.

These works are the first stage in the implementation of the Central Highfields Master Plan which was developed with the Highfields Community and published in 2018. This was a holistic process to integrate urban planning, infrastructure planning and provide the Community with the opportunity to provide feedback on their long-term vision for the emerging Highfields Central Business District.

Above: Consultation timeline for the Central Highfields Master Plan

From the consultation completed as part of the Central Highfields Master Plan, and the following Structure Plan community workshops there was clear desire from the community for a modern, accessible, connected and safe town centre. The overall key themes from the consultation were:

  • Belonging, Family, Community, Neighbours
  • Distinct Identity
  • Space
  • Trees and Nature
  • Accessibility and Connectivity
  • Safety and Security
  • Economy and Growth

Council’s purchase of land in 2018 the work completed in the Master Plan and Structure Plan, have presented the opportunity to address this changing role of Highfields Road and the adjoining road links to holistically integrate urban planning, infrastructure planning and Council’s and the community’s aspirations for a modern, accessible, connected and safe town centre. The future development of this land is separate to this roadworks project.

For further background information on this roadworks project, as well as the future vision for Central Highfields, please review the following documents available on this page as part of the document library:

  • Council Report - Central Highfields - direction for design of the Highfields/ Kratzke/ O’Brien Roads intersection and related road links – endorsed by Council on 15 December 2020
  • Central Highfields Structure Plan – endorsed by Council on 17 December 2019
  • Central Highfields Master Plan – endorsed by Council on 17 July 2018