A defining characteristic of the city is its high position on an escarpment of the range, which enjoys sweeping views of the Lockyer Valley below.

[2] In 1995, An Ove Arup Traffic Planning Study was completed confirming the need for a second range crossing.

[2] In 1997, an alignment route option passing to the immediate north of Toowoomba City was identified in a Maunsell concept phase planning report.

[2] Detailed planning of the project commenced in 2001 with the preferred alignment option ultimately refined by 2004.

[2] In late 2005, the federal government announced funding of $10 million to advance the business case for the project.

[2] In August 2015, the Department of Transport & Main Roads under the Newman government awarded the contract to design, construct, and maintain the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing as it was then known to Nexus Infrastructure, a consortium of the Plenary Group, Cintra, Acciona, Ferrovial and Broadspectrum.

[3][6][7][8] Nexus was chosen on the basis that its proposal used an open-cut design instead of tunnels, allowing trucks carrying dangerous goods to utilise the bypass.

[3] There was also the concern that while the pilot tunnel had been dry at the time of excavation (during a drought), it later drained up to 10,000 litres of water per day.

[19] Even though the bypass is tolled, it is owned and operated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR).