$1.1b Gateway Upgrade North project now complete

The three-year $1.1b Gateway Upgrade North project is complete, with the newly widened section of the Motorway officially opened this morning.

The new Deagon Deviation as part of the Gateway Upgrade North Project. Picture: AAP/David Clark

THE $1.1 billion Gateway Upgrade North project is complete, with the official opening of the newly widened section of the Gateway Motorway held this morning.

The project, which started in early 2016, involved widening the motorway from four to six lanes from Nudgee to Deagon.

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Federal Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population Alan Tudge said the upgrade was a significant investment from the Australian Government to improve conditions for motorways and freight productivity in South East Queensland.

An artists impression of the Deagon Deviation

“There is more relief to come in the form of a $244.25 million investment under the Government’s Urban Congestion Fund, announced last month, which complements an existing $7.2 billion Australian Government investment into major urban infrastructure projects across South East Queensland,” Mr Tudge said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the gateway upgrade would help to unlock major economic growth in Queensland by busting congestion for motorists and vastly improving freight access to the Australia TradeCoast (ATC), Port of Brisbane and Brisbane Airport.

“This is a $214 million investment by the Queensland Government that has transformed the Gateway Motorway and improved Bruce Highway connectivity for the thousands of Queenslanders and businesses who rely on this important corridor every day,” the Premier said.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (centre), Member for Petrie Luke Howarth (left) and Queensland LNP leader Tim Nicholls visited the Gateway Upgrade North Project on September 21, 2017. Picture: AAP/Dan Peled

Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said extra lanes on the motorway and Deagon Deviation were already significantly reducing congestion while the upgraded Nudgee Interchange would improve access, traffic flow and driver safety on and off the motorway in each direction.

“Daily, more than 83,000 vehicles travel along the motorway between Nudgee and Deagon,” Mr Bailey said.

“The Gateway Upgrade North will provide relief for motorists today and allow for growth in the future,” Minister Bailey said.

Federal Member for Petrie Luke Howarth said works involved widening 11.3 kilometres of the Motorway from four to six lanes between Nudgee to the Deagon Deviation and the construction of an off-road shared pathway.

“The bike path will provide a safe and efficient off-road connection from the Kedron Brook bikeway at Nudgee all the way to the outer northern suburbs,” Mr Howarth said.

The $1.1 billion Gateway Upgrade North project was jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments, with the Australian Government committing $861.78 million and the Queensland Government committing $214.45 million.