Pacific Mwy hit by 10km of gridlock after crash at Pimpama, major delays on Bruce Hwy
After three crashes within 10km caused traffic headaches between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, traffic has eased for the evening.
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UPDATE 7PM: Traffic is clearing along the Pacific Motorway tonight, after the earlier post-lockdown long-weekend exodus delayed travellers up to 45 minutes.
Delays from Brisbane to the Gold Coast had eased to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile on the Bruce Highway, congestion from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast has almost completely cleared.
Traffic is looking clear again! If you’re travelling over the Easter long weekend please be safe and patient on our roads. #QldTrafficpic.twitter.com/pOtw5R03X9
— RACQ (@RACQOfficial) April 1, 2021
UPDATE 5PM: The third crash within a 10km stretch on the Pacific Motorway has worsened Easter traffic as holiday-makers leave Brisbane for the weekend.
Queensland Traffic has reported that a southbound left lane of the motorway is blocked at Helensvale after a multi-vehicle crash just after 4pm.
Traffic was already crawling in the area after earlier crashes at Upper Coomera and Helensvale.
It’s expected drivers will sit in traffic between Stapylton and Helensvale for an extra 40 minutes.
There’s less congestion heading north to the Sunshine Coast and drivers were experiencing minimal delays at 4.45pm.
Traffic is heavy between Beerwah and Palmview on the Bruce Highway.
Drivers heading from Brisbane to Ipswich can expect some congestion through Redbank.
EARLIER 4PM: Holiday-makers heading to southern parts of the Gold Coast can expect delays of up to 50 minutes as multiple crashes and scattered showers have caused mayhem for drivers leaving Brisbane.
A Queensland Traffic spokesman said vehicles were crawling from Stapylton to Upper Coomera about 3.45pm due to earlier crashes about 10km apart.
A single-vehicle crash at Upper Coomera was cleared about 3pm while emergency services responded to a second crash at Pimpama.
Congestion further south at Reedy Creek is adding an extra 25 minutes to the trip south with traffic backed up 10km from Robina to West Burleigh.
The trip from Brisbane Airport to the Sunshine Coast is also taking longer than usual and drivers can expect to sit in traffic for up to 20 minutes longer.
Traffic is heavy on the Gateway Motorway northbound at Deagon and through to the Bruce Highway at Caboolture.
The Gateway Motorway at Deagon north bound is looking painful. Pack your patience if you're hitting the roads - congestion is about as sure as chocolate at Easter. 🰠pic.twitter.com/e0rjXuvPQZ
— RACQ (@RACQOfficial) April 1, 2021
Congestion has also been reported further north on the Bruce Highway from Beerwah to Palmview.
Drivers heading from Brisbane to Ipswich about 4pm were experiencing delays of up to 10 minutes.
EARLIER 2.30PM: Holiday-makers escaping Brisbane for the Easter long weekend are facing extended delays after crashes on both the Bruce Hwy and Pacific Mwy.
There are significant delays of more than 50 minutes from Pimpama to Coomera southbound on the Pacific Mwy after a crash near the Coomera River bridge triggering more than 10km of congestion.
It's slow going on the Pacific Motorway southbound from Ormeau to Coomera due to two crashes around 10km apart from each other. #qldtrafficpic.twitter.com/4lk5l4RMOg
— RACQ (@RACQOfficial) April 1, 2021
A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said paramedics were called to Coomera just before 2pm and were still on scene at 2.40pm.
Traffic is backed up to Ormeau as the spokeswoman said paramedics were still at the scene of the crash about 2.40pm assessing a man with suspected stomach injuries.
There's congestion on the Pacific Motorway southbound at Reedy Creek around Exit 84 - allow extra travel time to account for delays on your journey. #qldtrafficpic.twitter.com/A3rc5C5t1I
— RACQ (@RACQOfficial) April 1, 2021
Another crash has been reported at Pimpama and in Brisbane’s north at Deagon.
Traffic began building on major arterial roads within an hour of the Greater Brisbane lockdown lifting at noon.
There is more than 6km of congestion north of North Lakes on the Bruce Hwy heading towards the Sunshine Coast after a multi-vehicle crash at Burpengary.
Congestion was also increasing on Brisbane’s northside at the Gateway Motorway about 2.30pm.
Cars, caravans and boat trailers have been snapped by monitoring cameras as traffic slows on major arterial roads, the Pacific Motorway southbound and the Bruce Highway northbound.
Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus pleaded for drivers to slow down, be patient with other motorists and to pay attention.
He said the state’s road toll – 74 compared to 48 at the same time last year – was “startling”.
Among the deaths were 22 motorcyclists.
“We have 26 more lives lost this year than the same time last year,” Mr Marcus said.
“And we are just coming into the Easter peak road time in Queensland.”
Mr Marcus said two areas of focus for police would be speeding and distracted driving.
“The one consistent feature with every fatal crash that we have seen this year is that the vehicle has failed to remain in its lane and either gone head-on with another vehicle or gone off the road and hit an object or rolled,” he said.
If the trend of deaths on Queensland roads continued, the road toll could be above 300 for the first time in years, Mr Marcus said.
“The number of pedestrian fatalities is lower this year than last but the number of crashes is up, the number of drivers killed is up, the number of passengers killed is up and the number of motorcyclists killed is well over double (compared to last year),” he said.
“They are the areas we need to look at most closely.”
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During the Easter period Mr Marcus said police did not want to see people taking “silly risks”
“We want to see people wearing their seatbelts, taking regular breaks and driving within their limits,” he said.
Police would be out in force on Queensland roads during the Easter period in marked and unmarked vehicles.
Mr Marcus said motorhomes could cause frustration from motorists during the holiday period but urged people to be patient.
RACQ spokeswoman Lauren Ritchie cautioned the delays on Thursday afternoon could be worse than usual long weekend traffic as it coincided with the easing of restrictions.
“Come midday today around 2.5 million people in Greater Brisbane will be released from lockdown, meaning those hitting the road will likely experience extensive delays and congestion, especially on the Pacific Motorway, Bruce Highway and Gateway Motorway.
“We say it every year, but please be patient and allow extra time, because the roads will be busier than usual.”
Drivers are not required to wear masks in their own vehicles however masks are still required on public transport, in ride sharing vehicles, indoors or anywhere that social distancing isn’t possible.
The Gold Coast police have already launched a massive road blitz as Brisbane residents prepare to hit the Glitter Strip in droves for Easter after the lockdown was lifted.
Coast police set up a large RBT site on the Gold Coast Highway at Southport on Thursday and warned they will maintain a heavy presence on local roads throughout the Easter long weekend and school holidays.
Gold Coast police Superintendent Rhys Wildman said the crackdown was in response to the state’s worryingly high road toll, which was on target to reach 300 this year for the first time in more than a decade.
Supt Wildman said that while the Coast had recorded only one fatality so far this year – three fewer than for the same period last year – ‘we can’t rest on our laurels’.
“We had two collisions at the end of last year and in those two collisions, seven people lost their lives,” he said.
“For us, we’re getting on the front foot regarding not only the messaging (around safe driving) but also the enforcement.”
Supt Wildman said with the lockdown lifted from noon, police were preparing for a ‘dramatic’ influx of motorists.
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