Before you can apply for a permit, set up traffic control, report a hazard or quote a chainage, you need to answer one question: who manages this road? In Queensland it's usually either the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) or the local council, and it isn't always obvious from the road itself. Here's how to tell, and what changes once you know.
The short answer
- TMR manages state-controlled roads: about 33,460 km of motorways, highways, arterial roads and major connecting roads, including about 5,049 km of the National Network. These are the roads people often call "Main Roads".
- Councils manage local roads: Queensland's 77 local governments control the roads in their areas, which is most of the streets you'll ever drive on. The laws that give councils control of roads specifically exclude state-controlled roads.
A road becomes state-controlled when the Minister declares it by gazette notice under section 24 of the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994. The declaration sets its start and end points, so a state-controlled road can stop at a particular intersection or boundary, with the same physical road continuing as a council road.
Why it matters
| If you need to… | State-controlled road | Council road |
|---|---|---|
| Do works or put something in the road corridor | TMR Road Corridor Permit (section 50, Transport Infrastructure Act 1994) | The council's road or footpath permit |
| Disrupt traffic | TMR Traffic Control Permit, applied for by a registered traffic management company | The council's process; for temporary road closures, police approval as well |
| Report an urgent hazard | QLDTraffic on 13 19 40 (24/7) | The council |
| Give a location | TMR road section and chainage | Street address, cross streets or the council's own references |
Getting it wrong costs time: a permit lodged with the wrong authority is rejected, and a traffic management plan built on the wrong road category may need redoing. See Road Corridor Permit vs Traffic Control Permit for the TMR side.
Check 1: QLDTraffic Road Lookup
The official quick check is the Road Lookup on the QLDTraffic website, which finds "a road's contact". TMR's own contact page points people there to confirm who owns a road. Search or pick the road on the map:
- If it's state-controlled, it shows the TMR contact for that road.
- If it isn't, it says so: the road "may be owned by Council or be a privately owned road".
Check 2: TMR maps and Queensland Globe
- TMR's State-controlled roads and region maps: downloadable maps of each TMR district and region, plus the State Road Network of Queensland map. Good for printing and for seeing a whole area at once.
- Queensland Globe: the state government's online map. Under Transportation, the State controlled roads layers show the roads TMR manages ("it does not include roads managed by Local Government Authorities"), and a 1 km mark layer shows kilometre points along them in the gazettal direction. The temporary traffic management road categories layer also records each road's owner and maintainer.
- TMR open data: the Road location and traffic data set on the Queensland Government Open Data Portal lists every state-controlled road section with points every 10 m. Useful in GIS, overkill for a quick check.
Check 3: tap it in Chainage
In the field, the fastest check is to tap the road in Chainage, or use Find my chainage while you're standing next to it. State-controlled roads glow orange on the map with chainage marks along them.
- If the pin snaps to the road and shows a road section and chainage, it's on TMR's state-controlled network.
- If it shows "You're about … from [road]" or says you're not close to a Main Roads road, the road you're on isn't state-controlled. It's most likely a council road.
Where a council road runs right beside a state-controlled one, or crosses it at an intersection, zoom in and tap carefully, and confirm with Road Lookup if anything depends on the answer.
Clues on the ground (and why they can mislead)
Some signs point to a state-controlled road:
- A route marker shield, such as M1, A1 or a B route. (These are route numbers for navigation, not TMR road numbers; the Bruce Highway is TMR road 10 but M1 and A1 on signs.)
- A highway, motorway or "Developmental Road" name.
- It's the main road through a country town, or the main road linking two towns.
But plenty of state-controlled roads look like ordinary suburban streets, and some council roads are wide, busy arterials. Never rely on looks alone for a permit or a traffic management plan.
The tricky cases
Toll roads and motorways in Brisbane
All of Brisbane's toll roads are operated by Transurban Queensland, but they don't all belong to the same government. The Gateway and Logan motorways and AirportlinkM7 are run under long-term concessions with the state. CLEM7, the Go Between Bridge and Legacy Way are run under agreements with Brisbane City Council. For works on or near a toll road, expect to deal with the operator as well as the road authority.
National highways
Roads on the National Land Transport Network, such as the Bruce and Warrego highways, are partly funded by the Australian Government, but in Queensland they're managed by TMR like any other state-controlled road.
Where a state road ends
Because each state-controlled road is declared with start and end points, ownership can change at an intersection, a town boundary or a bridge. The road looks the same, but the permit authority isn't. Check both ends of your works.
National parks, state forests and private roads
Many roads and tracks inside national parks are managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, and mining and other private roads by their owners. A state-controlled road can still pass through a national park or state forest, so check the road itself rather than the land around it.
Verges, footpaths and driveways
The road corridor isn't just the bitumen. A driveway, sign, fence or trench on the verge of a state-controlled road is inside TMR's road corridor and needs TMR approval, even if the adjoining land and side streets belong to the council.
Who to call
- Urgent hazards on state-controlled roads (incidents, potholes, signal faults, streetlight outages): QLDTraffic, 13 19 40, 24 hours a day. Non-urgent issues can be reported online through TMR.
- TMR general enquiries: 13 23 80, or the TMR regional office for the area.
- Council roads: your local council. In Brisbane, 07 3403 8888.
- Emergencies: always 000 first.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a road is a state-controlled road in Queensland?
Use the Road Lookup on the QLDTraffic website, the State controlled roads layers in Queensland Globe or TMR's state-controlled road maps. In the field, tapping the road in the Chainage app shows whether it's on TMR's network and gives its road section and chainage.
How long is Queensland's state-controlled road network?
About 33,460 km at 30 June 2026, according to TMR's 2025–26 annual report, including about 5,049 km of National Network roads.
Who do I report a pothole to?
On a state-controlled road, report urgent hazards to QLDTraffic on 13 19 40 (24/7). On a local road, contact the council. In an emergency, call 000.
Do I need a TMR permit to work on a council road?
Generally no; council roads are permitted by the council. But if your works or traffic management affect a nearby state-controlled road, such as a closure or detour onto it, TMR approval is needed for that part too.
Are toll roads state-controlled?
It depends on the road. In Brisbane, the Gateway and Logan motorways and AirportlinkM7 are run under concessions with the state, while CLEM7, the Go Between Bridge and Legacy Way are run under agreements with Brisbane City Council. All are operated by Transurban Queensland.
Sources
- QLDTraffic, Road Lookup.
- TMR, Queensland state-controlled roads and region maps.
- Queensland Government, Queensland Globe.
- Queensland Government Open Data Portal, Road location and traffic data.
- Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 (Qld), sections 23, 24 and 50; Local Government Act 2009 (Qld), sections 59 and 60.
- TMR, Toll roads.
- Queensland Government, Report road conditions and hazards; Local government directory.
- TMR Annual Report 2025–26, network length at 30 June 2026.