Gold Coast traffic hot spots are at or over capacity at peak period, according to new council report

Nearly two dozen roads on the Gold Coast are either at or over capacity at peak period, according to a new council report.

AT least 22 roads on the Gold Coast are either at or over capacity at peak period, according to a new council report.

Councillors at today’s full council meeting at the Evandale Chambers have been handed a midlife review of the City’s 2013-2031 Transport Strategy.

Council has announced a record transport spend of $544 million across the next four years, which would be an increase of 32 per cent.

Only eight of the 22 roads identified as under stress in the new report were identified as council roads.

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Traffic on the Gold Coast Highway at Southport has been highlighted as a big problem in the latest report. Picture: Jerad Williams

Those roads were the Gold Coast Highway through Southport and Surfers Paradise, Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina Parkway, Yalwalpah Road in the city’s north and Christine Avenue at Bermuda Street.

Other roads facing gridlock included Thomas Drive at Chevron Island, Benowa Road and Somerset Drive.

Of the State controlled roads confronted with congestion, the worst surround sections of the Pacific Motorway and the Gold Coast Highway.

Sections of the M1 facing stress include the northern stretch between Coomera and Gaven, south between Robina and Tugun and the interchange at Oxenford.

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Traffic along the Smith Street motorway, also a traffic hotspot. Picture: Jerad Williams

Other areas include the M1 ramp at Upper Coomera, ramps at the Robina Parkway, the Robina Town Centre and Palm Beach Avenue.

The Smith Street Motorway, Gooding Drive at Robina and Nerang Broadbeach Road are hot spots.

The most congested sections of the Gold Coast Highway were identified as around Harbour Town and Pine Ridge Road.

Mayor Tom Tate in presenting a draft copy of the midlife review acknowledged a multi-pronged approach was needed to meeting the Gold Coast’s emerging transport challenges.

“The 2019-2020 Budget will have a record spend on transport. I have also proposed that we need to spend $544 million over the next four years on specific congestion management initiatives, right across the Gold Coast,’’ he said.

Aerial of the Gold Coast — M1 Motorway at Gaven

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“I applaud councillors for supporting this midlife review and we will be working our Transport and Infrastructure Directorate harder than ever to deliver.

“We have a plan to roll out 53 projects over four years that focus on managing congestion across the city. These include major road projects, intersection upgrades, applying the latest technology to better manage our network, more active and public transport initiatives and travel demand management.”

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A map showing the location of the most congested roads on the Gold Coast.

Highlights include:

$288 million on road upgrades and intersection upgrades

$78 million on active and public transport projects

$178 million on maintaining our roads

“The Coast has experienced above-average population growth for the past four years,’’ he said.

“That puts pressure on every aspect of our city — roads, parks, our beaches, libraries, sporting fields and our cycle ways.

“And while everyone knows you can’t build your way out of congestion, we must ensure that where practical, local road works and upgrades are done at the same time as State upgrades in that same area.

“We look forward to working with the State Government to see the delivery of critical transport system upgrades to the M1, Coomera Connector and increased public transport services throughout the city.’’

The 2019-2020 Budget will be delivered on 13 June.