Coomera Connector: Council and State headed for crash on designs and costs

Council and the state government are on a collision course over the Coomera Connector, with councillors believing they’ve found a major flaw.

THE State Government and council are on a collision course on which Gold Coast roads are the best to link up with the planned $2.4 billion Coomera Connector.

Councillors at a transport committee meeting revealed the tensions which until now have been behind closed doors and involve critical links between the second M1 and fast growing northern suburbs east of the Pacific Motorway.

HOW COOMERA CONNECTOR WILL TRANSFORM NORTHERN SUBURBS

Council transport officers and senior bureaucrats from Main Roads are expected thrash out options at a private meeting on Monday as the State prepares its business case for the six-lane highway east of the M1 from Nerang to Stapleton.

Artist impression of Coomera Connector at Helensvale. Picture: TMR

The key issues on the Coomera Connector regarding its planned route are:

● A government preference to link the new highway to Helensvale Road, which heads west past the suburb’s existing tip site and to the State secondary school.

● The failure of the planned route to consider the alternative of the four-lane Hope Island Road.

● The need to cost value the Hope Island Road alternative which may require a bridge or overpass but ultimately present a better practical outcome despite the added funding.

● The possibility Foxwell Road at Coomera will not be considered as a link road.

● The likelihood that a new overpass on the M1 at Coomera will not be part of the package, linking with Beattie Road and taking school traffic west, easing the congestion on the notorious Oxenford Exit 57.

Helensvale-based councillor William Owen-Jones at the committee meeting voiced his concerns that the Government could “engineer down to the lowest cost” the route and its links without presenting all the options to residents.

William Owen-Jones — wants best outcome for second M1. Picture: Jerad Williams.

He said the council, which was responsible for much of the local road network next to the Coomera Connector, needed to have a conversation with the Government before the business case was nailed down.

“That may be useful in the next 105 days as the Government and the Opposition are deciding what they are going to do for commitments leading into a State election,” Cr Owen-Jones said.

“Everybody thinks that we are working incredibly closely with the State and it’s half our idea

how these things connect. We are really passengers.”

Planning committee chair Cameron Caldwell supported Cr Owen-Jones and asked for more detail on design work.

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Division 4 Cr Cameron Caldwell. Picture: Jerad Williams.

He acknowledged the Hope Island connection could “make sense” but it could also be “a complete disaster”.

Officers said the government was creating a reference design for the business case.

“So I guess what I would like us to push for is a reference design option for Hope Island road,” Cr Caldwell said.

FIRST LOOK AT COOMERA CONNECTOR’S SOUTHERN SECTION

“I don’t think I or we could commit to saying it’s our preferred option. It may not work out. We need to see an alternative. If they’re not giving an alternative, it’s a problem for me.”

Council transport chief Alton Twine said officers would ask for costing and options at the meeting along with impacts on the local traffic network.

“There is a risk here it could be a disaster. These are things we need to consider in the context of what we might actually end up with.”

Mr Twine said council could “challenge” the State on designs which impacted on the council road network.