M1 Gold Coast: Major milestone reached for widening of Pacific Motorway

The $218 million widening of the M1 will reach a major milestone today in a moment which political leaders hope will help drivers get home faster.

THE $218 million widening of the M1 will reach a major milestone today as work is completed on the Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes stretch.

The upgrade, jointly funded by the state and federal governments, has widened a 5.7km stretch of motorway to at least three lanes in each direction and a fourth lane northbound between Exit 82 and near Exit 79 has also been added.

Artist impressions of the $1 billion Gold Coast M1 upgrade between Varsity Lakes and Tugun. Picture: Supplied

More than 167,000 tonnes of asphalt was poured and 1 million hours worked to get the project finished.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the milestone was a “triumph” of local business acumen, with 321 jobs supported during construction and 80 per cent of business working on the upgrade being local.

The work which will be finished this week will reduce congestion Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

“Completing this project means crews can now turn their focus to the largest project ever on

the M1, the $1 billion upgrade from Varsity Lakes to the border, which will see more than 830 jobs brought online,” he said.

Work has begun on the Varsity Lakes to Tugun section of the M1, which will see new arterial and feeder roads built to relive congestion.

Federal MP Karen Andrews, who lobbied heavily to fund the project, welcomed the milestone.

“For too long, motorists have had to put up with the Mudgeeraba bottleneck,” she said.

“Finally, the 5.7-kilometre upgrade is complete – with added lanes, as well as upgraded on and off ramps and bridges, to better accommodate for the thousands of vehicles which use the M1 every day.”