The Shute Harbour Road traffic model will be delivered as part of the Whitsunday growth management initiative.  The traffic model will equip the Department of Main Roads, Queensland Transport and the council with a common traffic and transport planning resource. This resource will be used to address the specific traffic and transport planning needs of the state and local government for the Town of Whitsunday and surrounding area around the state controlled road, Proserpine - Shute Harbour Road, between the Bruce Highway and Shute Harbour.

Key objectives of the projects are to:

1. develop a detailed base year traffic model in SATURN or similar
2. assess a number of base year road network options, including bus services, currently under consideration by the Department of Main Roads, Queensland Transport and the council
3. develop alternative future year land use scenarios as a basis for traffic and network assessments for the year 2021
4. develop alternative future year land use scenarios as a basis for traffic and network assessments for the holding capacity of the town planning scheme
5. develop a future base road network to include committed and planned projects
6. assess potential impacts of future development for the year 2021 and the holding capacity (when the development of the town planning scheme is finished)
7. identify potential future traffic management and other improvements to meet expected growth
8. prepare concept layout drawings as needed to show traffic management and other solutions at 2021 and at holding capacity.

In addition, if needed by the Department of Main Roads, Queensland Transport or the council, the project may be extended to develop micro-simulation model(s) of specific parts of the road network as a supplementary aid to understand the operation of traffic management concepts.