Travel time blow out: Dire predictions for M1 congestion hell

Commuting on South East Queensland’s major highways will blow out significantly in the coming years, with a 50 per cent jump in traffic expected to cause more commuter hell.

The drive from Brisbane’s CBD to Surfers Paradise on the Pacific Motorway will blow out to 90 minutes and another major motorway will be clogged by a 50 per cent jump in traffic in the future.

Soaring interstate migration is being blamed for the commuter explosion as the government’s forecast leap in population is predicted to further frustrate workers travelling to Brisbane from the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Ipswich.

The Courier-Mail has obtained government data that predicts two-way traffic volume on the Pacific Motorway linking Brisbane and the Glitter Strip will surge from 189,000 in 2021 to 240,000 in 2046.

Motorists on the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast will jump from 160,000 to 195,000, while commuters travelling from Ipswich will contest a traffic volume leap of 53 per cent.

Department of Transport and Main Roads modelling reveals this surge in traffic volume will increase travel time, with the 77km journey to the Gold Coast jumping from an estimated average of 78 minutes to 90 minutes.

This sight on the Pacific Motorway is set to be more regular as traffic surges. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The near 100km trip to Maroochydore will be 11 minutes longer in 2046 at 106 minutes, while the commute to Springfield at Ipswich will increase by five minutes to 48 minutes.

These forecasts, however, are dependent on new projects and upgrades for the coming decade, which is desperately needed to cater

South East Queensland’s expected jump in population from 3.8 million to 6 million.

Commuters would also contest the travel time figures, with regular roadworks and sporadic accidents often significantly dragging out time behind the wheel.

Heidi Dulieu travels to Brisbane for work from Eumundi on the Sunshine Coast three days a week, and said the “exhausting” trip could take up to three hours.

“I have experimented with leaving at different times of the morning/afternoon to see the best timing and generally I’ve seen little difference whether I leave at 4.30am or 6am,” she told The Courier-Mail.

“It usually takes me around 2.15 hours and 2.5 hours each way. In the evening it can be two hours or close to three hours on a Friday afternoon.

“The Bruce Highway is full of roadworks with many portions reduced to 80km/hr.”

Heidi Dulieu commutes into Brisbane from Eumundi on the Sunshine Coast for work and faces massive travel times. Picture: David Clark

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the state’s booming population was growing at a rate of nearly 2000 people each week.

“While we work to reduce congestion by investing in our major roads and highways, we must also acknowledge and plan for greater use of public transport by providing accessible, safe and reliable options including rail, bus and active transport,” he said.

“Every great city has an iconic public transport system. Cross River Rail will transform our rail network and will be the single biggest game-changer for the South East in decades.”

RACQ head of public policy Michael Kane agreed that public transport was “essential” to streamlining commuter travel.

He said the rising population will likely lead to a scenario in South East Queensland where there is constant congestion throughout the day and no “peak” time — similar to major cities such as London.

“If you go somewhere like London, they don’t have a peak,” Dr Kane said

“From early in the morning, it starts up and then just keeps going all day through to about eight o’clock, then it drops.”

But Dr Kane also said Brisbane will evolve dramatically by 2046 with an unrecognisable labour market, which was echoed by city planning firm Urbis.

The planning group’s director James Tuma said South East Queensland needed to become polycentric to manage the enormous growth, which is the term for a city with various centres rather than the traditional concentration of employment in the CBD.

He said this planning arrangement can create greater communities spread across the region, which in turn can reduce the reliance on a small number of roads where congestion is inevitable.