Expressway - The Australian Highway Site: Road Photos & Information: QLD: SR70 (North Coast Region) (Tanawha to Marcoola)

Road Photos & Information: Queensland

Sunshine Motorway, Emu Mountain Road & Walter Hay Drive (State Route 70) (North Coast Region)

Tanawha to Marcoola

Statistics:

Length:: 47 km (Tanawha to Marcoola: 20 km)
Termini:: Northern: Eenie Creek Rd (SR6) and Walter Hay Dr (unnumbered), Noosaville; Southern: Bruce Hwy (M1) and Frizzo Connection Rd, Tanawha
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:: Tanawha, Sippy Downs, Buderim, Mountain Creek, Mooloolaba, Buderim, Kuluin, Maroochydore, Bli Bli and Pacific Paradise

Route Numbering:

Current: 70
Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹: 150A (Tanawha to Mooloolaba); 150B (Mooloolaba to Peregian Springs)

General Information:

State Route 70 is a major arterial route linking the Bruce Hwy (M1) with several coastal suburbs along the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane.

The route is limited access for its length, and passes through residential, commercial, industrial and bushland areas, and acts as a bypass of the busy local roads around the coast.

State Route 70 is a mix of divided and undivided motorway road, with at-grade access north of the North Shore Connection Road interchange at Pacific Paradise. It is also north of this interchange the route changes from mostly divided to undivided roadway with 1 lane in each direction.

Sunshine Motorway:

The Sunshine Motorway segment of the route began life as a toll road, with a franchise period of 30 years, after which date, the assets of the company were to revert to the State of Queensland. ² The tolling period instead ended in 1996 after strong community opposition.

The Sunshine Motorway Company Limited was formed to construct, operate and maintain the Sunshine Motorway. ² The motorway was originally built in two stages and further upgraded in the first decade of the 21st century.

History:

: 20 January 1990: Opening of Sunshine Motorway Stage One (Bruce Highway to Pacific Paradise). ³ The motorway opened as in a Super-2 configuration, with one lane in each direction. ⁴; July 1992: Earthworks for Stage 2 of Sunshine Motorway at Pacific Paradise performed and completed under contract to Maroochy Shire Council. ⁵; 29 December 1993: Opening of Sunshine Motorway Stage Two (Pacific Paradise to Emu Mountain Road). ³; 08 March 1996: Official decommissioning of Sunshine Motorway toll plazas. ³; July 2006: Work began on the second Maroochy River Bridge providing six lanes of traffic across the river in place of the original two lanes. ⁶; 14 September 2007: Construction begins on North Shore Connection Road and its interchange with Sunshine Motorway at Pacific Paradise. Bridge work involved the driving of 4700 metres of prestressed concrete piles, the placement of 2500 cubic metres of concrete and the installation of 4400 tonnes of girders and deck units. ⁷; 8 December 2007: Opening of the duplicated Maroochy River Bridge by Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt. ⁸; July 2008: Completion of the upgrade of the Sunshine Motorway between Sippy Downs Drive and Kawana Way. ⁹; 24 July 2008: The new Dixon Road / Claymore Road Interchange was officially opened by Premier Anna Bligh and Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt. ⁸; August 2008: Widening of the original Maroochy River Bridge finished. ⁸; October 2008: Completion of two new bridges over David Low Way. ⁹ Traffic signals at the upgraded Maroochydore Road Interchange were switched on. The interchange was completely redesigned to eliminate a roundabout that was under the Sunshine Motorway. ⁸; December 2008: Completion of the upgrade of the Sunshine Motorway between Maroochydore Road and David Low Way. ⁹; 28 April 2009: North Shore Connection Road and its interchange with Sunshine Motorway at Pacific Paradise officially opened to traffic. ⁷

Click or tap here for construction photos between Tanawha and Marcoola
Click or tap here for the former alignment between Tanawha and Marcoola

Tanawha to Marcoola

Cunning Road:

Onramp from Bruce Hwy (M1) at the junction with Cunning Rd at Tanawha, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Trailblazer:

SR70 trailblazer after Cunning Rd at Tanawha, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Start Motorway:

Freeway green sign announcing the official start of Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at Tanawha, January 2008.

Image © Rob Tilley

Prohibition Sign:

Freeway green prohibition sign at Tanawha, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Tanawha Tourist Drive & Sippy Downs Drive:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the interchange with Tanawha Tourist Drive (TD25) and Sippy Downs Dr at Tanawha, January 2008.

Image © Rob Tilley

Distance Sign:

Reassurance directional sign near the Stringybark Rd overpass at Buderim, January 2008.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Dixon Rd at Buderim, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Dixon Road:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the Dixon Rd interchange at Buderim, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Kawana Way at Buderim, January 2008.

Image © Rob Tilley

Kawana Way:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the Kawana Way interchange in Buderim, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Kawana Way:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the Kawana Way interchange in Mountain Creek, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Distance Sign:

RD sign on Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at Mountain Ck, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Freeway Green Advance Directional Sign:

Freeway green AD sign at Mountain Ck for the Karawatha Dr interchange, January 2008.

Image © Rob Tilley

Karawatha Drive:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the Karawatha Dr interchange in Mountain Ck, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Freeway Green Advance Directional Sign:

Freeway green AD sign at Mountain Ck approaching the Brisbane Rd (SR6) interchange, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Brisbane Road:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at Mountain Creek at the Brisbane Rd (SR6) interchange, March 2009. SR70 veers left at the interchange.

Image © Rob Tilley

Distance Sign:

RD sign at Mountain Creek, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Freeway Green Advance Directional Sign:

Freeway green AD sign on Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at Mountain Ck, approaching Mooloolaba Rd, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Freeway Green Intersection Directional Sign:

Freeway green ID sign at the Mooloolaba Rd interchange at Buderim, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Mooloolaba Road:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the Mooloolaba Rd interchange at Buderim, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on the Mooloolaba Rd interchange at Buderim, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign on the Mooloolaba Rd interchange at Buderim, March 2009.

Image © Rob Tilley

Maroochy Boulevard:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the Maroochy Blvd interchange at Buderim, January 2008.

Image © Rob Tilley

Distance Sign:

RD sign at the Maroochy Blvd interchange at Buderim, January 2008.

Image © Rob Tilley

Bradman Avenue:

Intersection directional sign at the Bradman Av (SR6) interchange at Maroochydore, April 2007.

Image © Rob Tilley

Marcoola to Tanawha

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Pacific Paradise, approaching Bradman Av (SR6), April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Pacific Paradise, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Maroochy River:

Sunshine Mwy crossing the Maroochy River at Pacific Paradise, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Bradman Avenue Interchange:

Sunshine Mwy at the Bradman Av (SR6) interchange, Pacific Paradise, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Maroochydore Rd (SR8), Maroochydore, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Maroochydore Rd (SR8), Maroochydore, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Maroochydore Road Interchange:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the Maroochydore Rd (SR8) interchange, Maroochydore, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Buderim, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Maroochy Blvd, Buderim, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Maroochy Boulevard Interchange:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the Maroochy Blvd interchange, Buderim, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Traffic Report Sign:

Traffic conditions sign, Buderim, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Mooloolaba, approaching Mooloolaba Rd, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Mooloolaba, approaching Mooloolaba Rd, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Mooloolaba Road Interchange:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the Mooloolaba Rd, Mooloolba, April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching the Brisbane Rd (SR6) and Nicklin Way (SR6), Mooloolba, October 2024. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Rob Tilley from April 2012.

Image © Rob Tilley

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign approaching the Brisbane Rd (SR6) and Nicklin Way (SR6), Mooloolba, October 2024.

Image © Rob Tilley

Brisbane Road & Nicklin Way Interchange:

AD sign approaching the Brisbane Rd (SR6) and Nicklin Way (SR6), Mooloolba, October 2024. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Rob Tilley from April 2012.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on the off ramp to Brisbane Rd (SR6) and Nicklin Way (SR6), Mooloolba, October 2024.

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign on the off ramp to Brisbane Rd (SR6) and Nicklin Way (SR6), Mooloolba, October 2024.

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign on the off ramp to Brisbane Rd (SR6) and Nicklin Way (SR6), Mooloolba, October 2024.

End Motorway 500 m:

Signs near the overpass with Brisbane Rd (SR6) on the ramp to Nicklin Way (SR6), Mooloolba, indicating distance to end of the motorway, April 2012.

End Motorway:

Signs on the ramp to Nicklin Way (SR6), Parrearra, indicating end of the motorway, April 2012.

Parrearra Channel:

The on the ramp to Nicklin Way (SR6), Parrearra, crossing Parrearra Channel, April 2012.

Freeway Green Advance Directional Sign:

Freeway green AD sign for Karawatha Dr & and Bundilla Rd interchange at Mountain Ck, March 2009.

Karawatha Dr & Bundilla Blvd:

Freeway green ID signs at the Karawatha Dr & Bundilla Blvd interchange at Mountain Ck, March 2009.

Freeway Green Distance Sign:

Freeway green RD sign on Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at Mountain Ck, March 2009.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Kawana Way at Mountain Ck, January 2008.

Kawana Way:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the Kawana Way interchange in Mountain Ck, March 2009.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Sippy Downs approaching Sippy Downs Rd, March 2009.

Distance Sign:

RD sign at Sippy Downs, March 2009.

Sippy Downs Road:

Sunshine Mwy (SR70) at the interchange with Sippy Downs Dr in Sippy Downs, March 2009.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Sippy Downs Dr & Tanawha Tourist Dr (TD25) interchange at Sippy Downs, March 2009.

End Motorway 1 km:

Freeway green end motorway 1 km sign at Sippy downs, March 2009.

Sippy Downs Drive & Tanawha Tourist Drive:

Sippy Downs Dr & Tanawha Tourist Dr (TD25) interchange at Sippy Downs, March 2009.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign for the Bruce Hwy (M1) interchange, near the Sippy Downs Dr & Tanawha Tourist Dr (TD25) interchange at Sippy Downs, March 2009.

Freeway Green Intersection Directional Signs:

Freeway green ID signs with M1 coverplates at the Bruce Hwy (M1) interchange at Sippy Downs, March 2009. This is the southern terminus of SR70.

Click or tap here for the continuation of State Route 70 between Marcoola and Noosaville

¹ QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland state-controlled roads and region maps, North Coast Region, November 2022.
² Sunshine Motorway Company, Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1996.
³ Tyler Bullock.
⁴ QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Media Release, Sunshine Motorway Upgrade, Maroochydore Road to David Low Way – Construction Update, December 2008.
⁵ Sunshine Motorway Company, Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1992.
⁶ QLD Government, Media Releases, Work starts next week on new Maroochy River Bridge, 20 July 2006.
⁷ QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Main Roads Local Links, In and around the North Coast, May 2009.
⁸ QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Main Roads Local Links, In and around the North Coast, November 2008.
⁹ QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Projects, Sunshine Motorway Upgrade Pacific Paradise interchange and bypass.