Peninsula Developmental Road
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox Australian road
| road_name = Peninsula Developmental Road
| state = QLD
| location = Map of Cape York - Peninsula Developmental Road.svg
| location_alt = Major roads in northern Queensland
| loc_caption = Map of the Cape York Peninsula, with Peninsula Developmental Road highlighted in green
| type = rural road
| length = 571
| est =
| route = {{AUshield|S|81}} State Route 81
| direction_b = Northwest
| end_b = Weipa
| exits = Bamaga Road (Telegraph Road)
| direction_a = Southeast
| end_a = Lakeland
| through = Coen
}}
The Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR) runs {{cvt|571|km}} from Lakeland to Weipa.{{cite book| publisher=Hema Maps| title=Cape York Regional Map | author = Hema Maps | year = 2010 | edition=11 | location=Eight Mile Plains, Qld | isbn=978-1-86500-227-9}} It is the main road transport link within Cape York Peninsula and to the rest of the Australian mainland.
The segment from Weipa Town to {{cvt|43|km}} south of the town is within the Rio Tinto{{Cite web
| url = http://www.riotinto.com/aluminium/weipa-4732.aspx
| title = Weipa - Rio Tinto
| date = 2015-11-27
| website = riotinto.com
| access-date = 2016-02-25
| archive-date = 4 March 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304171110/http://www.riotinto.com/aluminium/weipa-4732.aspx
| url-status = live
}} mine lease. The {{cvt|43|km}} within the Rio Tinto mine lease boundary is not part of the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads controlled road. The department excluded this {{cvt|43|km}} section from its official PDR calculations.{{Cite web
| url = http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cape-York-Region-Package-Peninsula-Developmental-Road.aspx
| title = Cape York Region Package
| author = Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads
| author-link = Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads
| date = 2016-01-12
| website = tmr.qld.gov.au
| language = en-AU
| access-date = 2016-02-25
| archive-date = 3 March 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303094104/http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cape-York-Region-Package-Peninsula-Developmental-Road.aspx
| url-status = dead
}}
The segment from Lakeland to the Rio Tinto boundary is {{cvt|466|km}} and is under Transport and Main Roads control.
Road conditions
{{cvt|200|km}} of {{cvt|571|km}} from Lakeland to Weipa is currently unsealed road (as of April 2022). The condition of the unsealed road is highly variable. Mud, sand, dust, gravel and dirt corrugations are some of the road conditions subject to change of weather conditions.
A five-year program of sealing work joint funded by the Federal and State governments through the Cape York Region Package commenced in 2014. As of December 2015, {{cvt|68.8|km}} of new road has been sealed through the Cape York Region Package. As at June 2019, a total of {{cvt|173|km}} will be sealed under the package, leaving only {{cvt|200.|km}} of {{cvt|571|km}} unsealed.
Upgrades
The Roads of Strategic Importance initiative, last updated in March 2022, includes the following projects for the Peninsula Developmental Road.
=Corridor upgrade=
A lead project to upgrade the Cooktown to Weipa corridor, including the Peninsula Developmental Road and surrounding state and council roads, at an estimated cost of $323.1 million, was commenced in 2020, with an expected completion in mid-2024.{{cite web |url=https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=100535-18QLD-RSI |title=Cooktown to Weipa Corridor Upgrade |publisher=Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications |date=29 March 2022 |access-date=6 May 2022}}
=Progressive sealing=
A project for progressive sealing of sections of the Peninsula Developmental Road at a cost of $190 million is planned to be completed by mid-2024.{{cite web |url=https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=103613-19QLD-RSI |title=Peninsula Developmental Road |publisher=Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications |date=23 April 2021 |access-date=6 May 2022}}
=Cape York community access roads=
A project to upgrade five roads that link Cape York communities to the Peninsula Development Road, at a cost of $47.5 million is due for completion in mid-2024.{{cite web |url=https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=106795-19QLD-RSI |title=Cape York Community Access Roads |publisher=Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications |date=18 November 2021 |access-date=6 May 2022}}
List of towns, localities and points of interest along the highway
Major intersections
{{AUSinttop}}
{{QLDint
|LGAspan=
|LGA=Cook
|location=Lakeland
|lspan=
|type=
|km=0
|road={{AUshield|S|81}} Mulligan Highway (State Route 81) – south – Mareeba /
{{AUshield|S|40}} Mulligan Highway (State Route 40) – north – Cooktown
|notes=South eastern end of Peninsula Developmental Road (State Route 81)
|mile=
}}
{{QLDint
|LGAspan=
|LGA=Weipa
|location=Weipa
|lspan=
|type=
|km=571
|road=Hibberd Drive – north – Weipa Town Authority
|notes=North western end of Peninsula Developmental Road
|Mile=
}}
{{Jctbtm
|keys=
}}
See also
{{Portal|Australian Roads|Queensland}}