Second M1 start: Coomera Connector roadworks to begin in 2023 once design and business case complete

The State Government has laid out a timeline for construction of the Coomera Connector, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk saying the road is ‘vital’ for the northern Gold Coast.

CONSTRUCTION of the second M1 is set to begin by 2023 after the completion of detailed design and business studies with the State Government putting its foot on the pedal to build the Coomera Connector.

A report in the Bulletin today that the green light had been given to the $2.4 billion project sparked immediate speculation about when construction would start on the Nerang to Coomera 17km first stage of the 45km long six-lane highway.

Still from a Transport and Main Roads video showing how the Coomera Connector is expected to look.

HOW COOMERA CONNECTOR ‘WILL PAY FOR ITSELF’

Opposition leader Deb Frecklington ridiculed the announcement by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, accusing her of taking the Coast “for a ride” because “not a single cent will go towards the construction” of the project.

“I have backed the second M1 since I became leader of the LNP and I have put $550m on the table to start building immediately,” Ms Frecklington told the Bulletin.

“The LNP built the first M1 and we will build the Second M1. Annastacia Palaszczuk had five years to back the Second M1 but did nothing.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon and Transport Minister Mark Bailey held a press conference announcing the second M1 project. Picture: Jerad Williams.

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But transport sources suggest the first part of the work on the southern section would involve community consultation through to the end of the year, followed by a business case which would be developed in 2020.

The next phase would be the detailed design along with negotiations with the Commonwealth on funding — both of those “overlap a bit”.

The most likely scenario is the design and funding will be confirmed in 2021 “then you put it out for contract in 2022 and start work in 2023.

“It’s probable but all those things have to happen. You have to have all your ducks line up,” the source said.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey told the Bulletin: “We want to expedite it. That’s our priority. We are getting the business case and design case as quickly as we can. Anyone who is suggesting we can start it tomorrow is pulling people’s legs.”

But Ms Frecklington and her LNP MPs on the Coast are not convinced, staging their own media conference after the Premier hosted one with Gaven Labor MP at Carrara’s Metricon Stadium.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk has her head in the sand when it comes to traffic on the M1. This is simply another Labor delay and it’s just not good enough. If Labor was serious about the

second M1 it would put serious money on the table,” Ms Frecklington said.

Coomera connector alignment map and aerial map supplied by Queensland Main Roads Picture Queensland Government

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The Premier told the media: “The second M1 is a vital road network that we need to be doing the planning on. In areas like Coomera and Pimpama we’re seeing some growth rates of people moving into these areas of over four per cent (annually). What we need to do is we need to cater for that growth, we have to make sure we do that now.

“My government has put in $10 million and the Federal Government has put in $10 million, and the planning work gets underway now. That will formulate the business case.”

Leader of the LNP State Opposition, Deb Frecklington at Southport — we will build the second M1 immediately. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

COOMERA CONNECTOR AND M1 UPGRADES ‘MUST HAVES’ FOR COAST

The RACQ has welcomed the announcement, saying it would provide relief for the hundreds of thousands of motorists stuck in daily traffic commuting between Brisbane and the Coast.

RACQ’s Paul Turner said the second M1 would be a game-changer for south east Queensland drivers who spent almost three weeks a year caught in congestion behind the wheel.