Remember when: Mayor Ron Clarke proposed building a traffic tunnel under Surfers Paradise

NEW Mayor Ron Clarke promised he would build it, Cr Jan Grew said we should look at it and Indy engineer John Howe said it could happen.

Gold Coast History: Gold Coast Bulletin 2004, April 28. Front page.

Gold Coast Bulletin, Wednesday April 28, 2004

NEW Mayor Ron Clarke promised he would build it, Cr Jan Grew said we should look at it and Indy engineer John Howe said it could happen.

A tunnel underneath Surfers Paradise was officially placed on the city’s agenda.

A Gold Coast City Council committee called for a detailed investigation into the feasibility of the project.

Growing frustration over monster traffic jams in the heart of the city and questions about existing plans to fix the gridlock have forced the council’s hand.

Economic and cultural development committee chairwoman Jan Grew said she read with interest community debate calling for a tunnel and believed the council owed it to the community to investigate it thoroughly.

But if the costly tunnel goes ahead it was feared it would mean a delay or cancellation of stages two and three of the Surfers Paradise traffic revamp.

Cr Clarke made an election promise to construct a $500 million four-lane tunnel through Surfers Paradise to Cascade Gardens.

Cr Grew said reports suggesting Gold Coast Indy engineer John Howe had proposed a `slip tunnel’ from Cypress Avenue to Laycock Street were interesting.

She called for stages two and three of the $39 million Surfers Paradise Traffic Management Scheme to be deferred until the report was completed.

“There appears now to be further discussions relating to a minor tunnel and I have decided I will put forward a proposed motion to defer the report concerning construction of stages two and three of the Surfers Paradise Traffic Management Scheme,” said Cr Grew.

The tunnel never went ahead.