Underwood slowest section of M1 as daily commute gets longer

If you think your daily drive into Brisbane on the M1 is getting slower, you would be correct. Now startling new statistics show the motorway’s slowest stretch of road.

PEAK-hour commuters into Brisbane from Logan were spending up to 13 days a year sitting in traffic on the M1.

The startling statistic, released by RACQ, showed southeast Queensland commuters who drove during peak hour on some of the region’s major motorways spent almost three weeks behind the wheel each year.

And Logan commuters were some of the most affected with the slowest average speeds recorded on the stretch between Slacks Creek and Underwood.

A traffic jam on the M1 at Slacks Creek after a four-car pileup.

The average speed for the 5km from Paradise Rd to south of the Underwood Rd overpass was only 35.2km/h.

Construction work for a new overpass bridge at Rochedale was blamed.

Work on a duplication bridge at Rochedale has slowed down traffic both ways on the M1. PHOTO: JUDITH KERR

The second slowest stretch of the M1 during peak hour was the 9km between Logan River (Beenleigh) and Paradise Rd at Slacks Creek, where the average speed dropped to 37.1km/h during morning peak.

Those travelling from further south experienced pain too with most chugging along at 39.1km/h to drive the 16.41km on the M1 from exit 34, south of the Logan River to the Gateway Motorway overpass, between 6am and 9am, Monday to Friday.

The maximum speed limit on that stretch is 100km/h and it took most 25:11 minutes, which was an extra 3:36 minutes on the 2017 peak-hour commute.

Those who did the same trip on a weekend, slashed 14 minutes off the trip taking 10:50 minutes.

On weekends, the average speed for that 16km stretch rose to 90.9km/h.

An RACQ disclaimer pointed out that roadworks between Eight Mile Plains and Rochedale South may have contributed to the longer travel times over the year.

Road works have started where this yellow sign was and have slowed traffic on the M1 southbound.

Outbound times from the RACQ were better for motorists who clocked up an average speed of 66.9km/h travelling on the M1 from Brisbane to Logan between 4pm and 7pm.

It took most drivers 14:42 minutes to travel the 16.41km, which was an extra minute on 2017 times.

Club spokesperson Lucinda Ross said RACQ’s 2018 annual average travel times and speeds reports showed drivers commuting from the Gold Coast to Brisbane on the Pacific Motorway spent more than 465 hours, or 19 days, simply driving to and from work.

“They were closely followed by Logan motorists, who spent 13 days each year making the trek to and from Brisbane,” Ms Ross said.

“The Centenary Motorway’s commuters accumulated 173.6 hours, or just over a week, each year making the daily round trip from Forest Lake to Toowong.

“Bruce Highway drivers who travelled between Narangba and Bald Hills spent three days on the road.

“You can avoid gridlock by catching public transport, or by retiming or rescheduling your travel outside of the peak periods — after 9am and before 4pm on weekdays.”