Road funding rage: Qld Gov want Gold Coast City Council to pay for link road upgrades to Coomera Connector

Council can’t afford millions to upgrade one of the most necessary, but congested stretches of road on the coast – and the state government won’t front the cash.

THE state government wants the council to pay for the upgrade of major link roads to the Coomera Connector – but the city does not have millions in funding.

Theodore MP Mark Boothman, in a Question on Notice in parliament, asked Transport Minister Mark Bailey if Main Roads would financially assist Gold Coast City Council in upgrading Helensvale Rd to cater for the expected increase in traffic.

The latest traffic research released in a council report shows compared to baseline data in 2018-19, heavy vehicular traffic on Helensvale Rd increased by 105 per cent post-Covid-19.

Despite the road already being a congestion hot spot and major future Connector link road after Transport ruled out Hope Island, there is no detailed planning on its upgrade.

Mr Bailey in his response has focused on criticising the previous LNP Newman Government which cut the second M1 from strategic planning documents for the Coast and did not preserve a corridor.

“Our plan will take 60,000 cars a day off the M1 and provide for additional capacity from Coomera to Nerang. TMR is working closely with Gold Coast City Council on the planning of the Coomera Connector,” he said.

Vehicles on the roundabout opposite the Helensvale State High School – this intersection becomes congested during peak hour and the road will need to be upgraded if connected to the Coomera Connector.

“Coomera Connector Stage 1 North will build the interchange with Helensvale Rd, including the associated upgrade of Helensvale Rd in the immediate vicinity of the Coomera Connector interchange ramps.

“Council’s responsibility as part of overall transport planning for the area is to provide the supporting road network infrastructure, which is funded through the developer contributions that Gold Coast City Council collects.”

Mr Bailey said TMR project officers were meeting frequently with council to plan the delivery of cross-agency infrastructure including the Connector.

Mr Boothman said it was obvious state government expected council to upgrade roads connected to the Coomera Connector which would cost millions of dollars.

“The Minister for Main Roads needs to come down from his ivory

tower and understand the local road networks,” he said.

“There isn’t much point building the Coomera Connector if we don’t bother to upgrade local roads.

“Dumping vehicles from the Coomera Connector onto Helensvale Rd in its current

form will only cause further congestion, bottle necks and limit traffic movements.”

Mr Boothman estimates 5.2km of Helensvale Rd, east of the railway line, was a single lane bi-directional carriageway which struggles with traffic during peak hour.

“Additionally, we also need to factor in two bridge duplications adding additional

costs to ratepayers – blowing out the costs by tens of millions,” he said.

“Residents are sick of the buck passing and want different layers of government

working together.”

Theodore MP Mark Boothman at state parliament. Picture David Clark.

Council sources suggest developer contributions which could be used for infrastructure were capped with the amounts set by the State Government.

“The council does not have an extra $50m to $60m to fund a new road,” a council source said.

The Bulletin understands the council has at least a 10-year infrastructure works plan for the city but Helensvale Rd does not feature because the state government was yet to determine upgrade requirements with the Connector.

The council in late 2019 estimated the fast-growing northern Coast would need up to $200m in road and bridge upgrades for the $2.4bn Coomera Connector to be a success and reduce congestion on the M1.

A key project would be an overpass at Beattie Rd to ease congestion at the Oxenford interchange.

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