Gold Coast business and political leaders welcome ASF traffic plan as questions raised
CIVIC leaders have welcomed a $100 million “congestion busting” plan to solve the Spit’s traffic issues.
Gold Coast
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CIVIC leaders have welcomed a $100 million “congestion busting” plan to solve the Spit’s traffic issues.
Major choke points along Southport's main arterial roads would be widened from four to six lanes and connect with a new Jubilee Bridge under plans put forward by casino and integrated resort developer ASF.
REVEALED: ASF’S SOLUTION TO SPIT TRAFFIC
Bottleneck intersections in Southport, Main Beach and The Spit would also be upgraded to improve accesses to the proposed $3 billion resort, earmarked for a site south of Sea World.
A light rail spur line and four-stop ferry network have also been proposed as potential elements for the mutli-modal solution.
The proposal, revealed in yesterday’s Bulletin, has divided civic leaders and community groups opposed to the project.
Mayor Tom Tate urged developers eyeing off projects on The Spit to work together.
“I support ASF’s comprehensive transport plan because it significantly minimises the burden on ratepayers to construct infrastructure so that’s a good thing,” he said.
“I encourage ASF to work closely with Sunland and present a single traffic solution so the council, the State and the community can see it in a single document.’’
Sunland’s $600 million The Mariner project was shelved in late 2016 until a masterplan could be developed for the Broadwater.
The traffic and transport plan, developed with the State Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads and Gold Coast City Council, would be delivered in two stages with the first costing more than $100 million.
Traffic modelling was conducted in the area over several months in late 2016 in consultation with council and state traffic staff.
Gold Coast Combined Chamber of Commerce president Martin Brady welcomed the proposed upgrade.
“The existing infrastructure is not holding up now, so this is a great example of private money being used to resolve a situation now and for the future,” he said.
“Transport infrastructure upgrades have been the missing link in the area so to get them resolved would be a great outcome for the Gold Coast.
But a leading community advocate and former councillor opposed to the project said he could not support the proposal.
Save Our Broadwater president Alan Rickard dismissed the mooted solution, saying it would not address the real issues.
“I have a great deal of scepticism for these studies because they never translate to the reality that is required to address existing problems,” he said.
“ASF are just trying to gloss over the fact they want to build these giant towers in an area with a three-storey height limit.”
The five-tower resort, earmarked for a 5ha south of Sea World, would have an underground basement carpark.
The casino and integrated resort project has proven controversial with environmentalists and locals who have expressed concerns about traffic and the project’s size — significantly above the area’s three-storey height limit.
The integrated resort will be the subject of community consultation set to begin as early as next month before a detailed submission is sent to the State Government midyear.
Among the features of the project would be a public piazza featuring restaurants and conference facilities overlooking the Broadwater, as well as a 1200-seat amphitheatre.
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