D’Aguilar Highway upgrade announced, community feedback sought

Public submissions on the most urgently needed upgrades to the D’Aguilar Highway south of Nanango have not held back, with many citing a dangerous intersection as the top priority.

Transport and Main Roads have announced plans for major upgrades to the D’Aguilar Highway south of Nanango, and have called for community feedback.

Transport and Main Roads have announced plans for major upgrades to the D’Aguilar Highway south of Nanango, and have called for community feedback.

The project aims to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes by improving road safety and traffic flow between south of Nanango and South Street in Nanango township.

Upgrades being considered include wide centre line treatments, roadside barriers, intersection improvements, and reflective pavement markers.

Common themes have emerged from the community feedback submitted so far.

The majority of submissions called for passing lanes or dedicated turning lanes to be installed at various points along the highway, citing the danger of turning off or onto the highway with trucks and other vehicles travelling at high speeds.

“In general, the D’Aguilar Highway needs lots more overtaking lanes,” one submission stated.

“It’s a disgrace compared to other regional highways.”

Several submissions suggested reducing speed along the road, particularly at busy intersections, by installing roundabouts or reducing the speed limit.

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The map shows a thick navy-blue line depicting the project extents on the D’Aguilar Highway starting in Nanango township heading about 7km south of Nanango.

Almost a third of the submissions were targeted towards the Nanango Tarong Road intersection, with feedback focused on reducing speed, installing a dedicated turning lane, improving visibility, and improving safety features like street lights and reflective signs.

One submission described the intersection as a “black spot”.

“The Tarong Road turn-off is a black spot, (with) 3 fatalities in 2024.

“Been numerous near misses from trucks cutting corners/bends.

“Chase the black spot funding because of deaths (that) have occurred here please.

“We don’t need more,” the comment said.

This comment referred to the horror crash that occurred at the intersection in May, 2024, which claimed the lives of three Kingaroy residents after the car they were travelling in collided with a tanker.

According to crash data from Queensland Roads, between 2001 and 2023, five fatal traffic accidents occurred along the D’Aguilar Highway in Nanango and South Nanango, with more than 50 hospitalisations recorded over the same period.

Submissions for community feedback close on Friday, February 28, 2025.

Originally published as D’Aguilar Highway upgrade announced, community feedback sought