First look at $50m transport ‘game changer’ at Ormeau

Gold Coast City Council has unveiled plans for three green bridges to address the traffic nightmare around M1 interchanges in the north. SEE THE PLANS

Three green bridges are planned for the northern Gold Coast in a $50 million transport “game changer” which will solve the City’s biggest gridlock around M1 interchanges.

About 6000 students for the first time could gain access to six schools by either walking or cycling, and their parents avoid one-hour delays during the morning and afternoon peak times as they attempt to drive across the Pacific Motorway.

Design showing Green Bridge at Ormeau South on the M1.

City planning committee chair Mark Hammel has spent months with his staff in Division One and officers devising the plan for the connection points across the M1 at Ormeau.

The timing is critical, in the lead-up to the October state poll, with the government to be lobbied on including north and south green bridge designs in the future Exit 45 upgrade.

The City would be responsible for funding the connection from Mirambeena Drive across the Pimpama River, where it links new estates in Coast’s fastest growing region with the Pimpama River Parklands.

“With close to 6000 school kids living in the various suburbs around the division, it is clear from the design of these green bridges that they would offer a genuine alternative to getting to and from school,” Cr Hammel said.

Map showing the Green Bridges planned across the M1 and Pimpama River linking up the communities in Ormeau, in the Gold Coast's north.

“Given the way our housing estates and schools are positioned, this just makes sense. “Similarly, the green bridges would connect all the different sections of Ormeau, a population of about 13,000 people, to the heavy rail network.”

The concept designs, which include a virtual fly through video, show the connection points across the M1 at Ormeau North and Ormeau South along with Mirambeena Drive across the Pimpama River.

While the concept designs were prepared by the City, the M1 crossing points would ultimately fall under the responsibility of the state government to fund and deliver.

Design for a Green Bridge crossing the Pimpama River linking the Parklands and Ormeau communities.

“The feedback I am receiving is road upgrades should continue to be a focus but that we should also be considering the bigger picture. That big picture includes a dedicated pedestrian pathway for parents to use to send their kids to school,” Cr Hammel said.

“These green bridges would form important links between housing estates in our community to local schools, parks and playgrounds and public transport, while also taking traffic off the road and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

“They also link in with future public transport such as the proposed Yatala train station. Coupled with strong community support, I am calling on the state government to incorporate these green bridge designs into a future Exit 45 upgrade.”

Designs for the future M1 Ormeau interchange are yet to begin, presenting a “golden opportunity” to plan for pedestrian links.

Designs for a Green Bridge at Ormeau North across the M1.

The Bulletin in its Future Gold Coast series last November revealed the City’s fastest future-growing suburbs will be in a northern stretch on the western side of the Pacific Motorway.

Pimpama, which for almost a decade has been the city’s biggest-growing suburb, would be overtaken by a mega city encompassing Oxenford, Coomera and Ormeau.

Council has approved remaining greenfield sites for medium density which will mean duplexes, townhouses and units — residents there will need access to parklands and stations.

Design for a Green Bridge across the M1 at Ormeau South.

Cr Hammel admits more cars will be on the roads and active travel is an obvious option.

“We are a division with suburbs broken up by the M1 and the heavy rail line and that makes walking or riding between suburbs near impossible under the current layout,” he said.

“With a growing population and more cars on the road, we need to be encouraging active travel and this idea shouldn’t be passed up.”

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

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