First look at second M1: the silver bullet to solve congestion on the Pacific Motorway

This is the first glimpse of the northern Gold Coast’s second M1 — and it shows why it will be the silver bullet to end gridlock on the Pacific Motorway.

THIS is the first glimpse of the northern Gold Coast’s second M1 — and it shows why it will be the silver bullet to end gridlock on the Pacific Motorway.

Until now most residents considered the six-lane intra-regional transport corridor (IRTC) or Coomera Connector as a future highway running parallel to the M1 between Nerang and Stapylton.

Few details are available because the 36.5km highway is in the design stage.

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Route of the second M1, or ‘Coomera Connector’.

However, a graphic produced by urban planning company Urbis for the Bulletin’s Future Gold Coast series reveals how residents in the fastest growing suburbs east of the Pacific Motorway will not need to use the M1.

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The IRTC heading north will only run parallel to the M1 until the proposed Hope Island railway station before sharply veering towards the coastline at the eastern edge of Pimpama and just west of Jacobs Well.

Urbis Gold Coast director Matthew Schneider said the second M1 was a crucial piece of city-building infrastructure which needed to be delivered as a cornerstone of the city’s future.

“Much of the congestion on the M1 during peak hours is not people commuting between the Gold Coast and Brisbane,” he said.

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“It’s actually local Gold Coasters trying to go about their day and needing to commute from east to west across the motorway, or hopping on the M1 from one exit to the next to commute around the city.

“It is this local traffic that we need to get off the M1 and on to the M2, but it needs to be supported by new and upgraded east-west road connections.”

In a closed session at a transport and infrastructure committee meeting late last month, councillors strongly backed the Coomera Connector to help service the economic and population growth in the north.

A key recommendation was for council’s director of transport to investigate the impact of a second M1 on “local roads in terms of scope and costs and report back to council on his findings”.

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Aerial shots of the M1 Pacific Highway between Gold Coast and Brisbane. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

The Infrastructure Australia Urban Transport Crowding and Congestion report released late last month predicted road congestion costs would quadruple by 2031, taking $973 million out of the pockets of Gold Coast motorists as they sit in gridlock.

The worst of it will be on the Pacific Motorway, where delays will cost Coast commuters $1.2 million a day. At Pimpama, the lack of a second M1 means commuters in the morning peak headed west towards the M1 are taking 23 minutes to crawl 150 metres.

Both Coomera MP Michael Crandon and veteran developer Norm Rix, whose company built the $100 million Pimpama Shopping Centre, agree that the second M1 will be the “silver bullet” to solve gridlock in the north.

Mr Rix told the Bulletin: “You can’t rely on the M1. Even if you extended it (made it wider), if you have an accident it closes down. The IRTC is an alternative route, it makes sure you can get to the airport and meetings in Brisbane without delay.”

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Mr Rix urged the State Government to begin earthworks on the Coomera Connector rather than debate the lack of funding from the Commonwealth.

“At least you will get a start on it, then the funding will flow through with the Federal Government,” he said.

Mr Crandon said the graphic showed why the second M1 was critical for the communities in the fast-growing north and the LNP was committed to start building it immediately if re-elected to government.

“People would say ‘what’s the point, it doesn’t go anywhere’. I say ‘it goes everywhere’ for the people living in this area. It goes north and south and they’re not forced on to the M1,” he said.

The Palaszczuk Government has allocated $2 million in 2018-19 out of a total spend of $5 million to get a start on the 36.5km highway.

Mr Schneider regards the planned corridor within Gold Coast city limits as a positive step but believed it needed to go one further — a second river crossing providing a link to Logan and Redland cities and ultimately Brisbane city.

“There is no point building the M2 without a second river crossing (across the Logan),” he said. “We need some redundancy and permeability in our arterial road network so that commuters have options in the event of accidents and congestion.”

He said a successful SEQ Olympics bid may provide the perfect opportunity for governments of all levels to underwrite the investment case for the road.