Turnbull Government’s $1B M1 upgrade cash splash to end Gold Coast’s traffic congestion gridlock
IT will cost $2 billion to fix the M1 and end the Gold Coast’s gridlock nightmare. And $1 billion of congestion-busting cash is being put on the table today to widen the Pacific Motorway and slash travel times between the Glitter Strip and Brisbane.
Gold Coast
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THE Federal Government will today commit $1 billion to upgrade the M1 and end the pain of tens of thousands of fed-up motorists.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will unveil plans to finally ease congestion on the state’s busiest road by pledging to widen areas in the Gold Coast’ south and near Brisbane.
The gridlock is putting hours on commuter travel times every day and costing the economy millions in lost productivity.
Crucially, he says he has the money to start work straight away — if Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk agrees to match him dollar for dollar.
M1 CONGESTION TO COST US MILLIONS
Mr Turnbull’s $2 billion proposal includes:
• The M1 will be widened between Varsity Lakes and Tugun from four to six lanes, with a new off-ramp built in the northbound lanes to connect with Southport-Burleigh Road.
• The motorway will be widened from six to eight lanes on the Brisbane stretch between Eight Mile Plains and Daisy Hill.
Mr Turnbull told the Gold Coast Bulletin: “The $1 billion investment will mean people spend less time in traffic and more time with their families, improving the quality of life for residents of southeast Queensland.
HOW WE’LL FIX COAST’S M1 GRIDLOCK
“The Turnbull Government understands the drive from the Gold Coast to Brisbane should take one hour, not two and we are taking action to fix that.
“These upgrades will help people get home sooner and safer. We are funding the roads that the people of southeast Queensland need, and we are doing that because of our careful budget management.”
The Prime Minister, who will be on the Gold Coast today, said the federal money would be included in next month’s federal budget, if the Palaszczuk Government honoured its commitment.
The State Government last year committed $206 million towards widening the Varsity Lakes-Tugun stretch of the M1.
BEST SOLUTION TO M1 TRAFFIC WOES
This figure is just 20 per cent of the total cost of the 10km of work, which is expected to begin in 2020.
In a separate deal reached in March 2017, the federal and state governments agreed to spend $500 million on other areas of the M1. It included widening the motorway between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes. Work is expected to start within weeks.
Mr Turnbull’s promise is believed to have come after significant lobbying from Gold Coast federal MPs.
McPherson MP Karen Andrews said the funding was needed to deal with the ongoing gridlock.
“After a long and hard fight, this is great news for local residents and I’m delighted that we are now in a position to get the job finished that was started in 2007 — and upgrade the M1 through to Tugun,” she said.
“It is the State Government’s job to jointly fund and to manage the project to completion and ensure that Gold Coasters are not forced to endure lengthy delays.
Ms Andrews said the Federal Government was “serious” about fixing the M1. “I sincerely hope the State Government is too.”
The funding comes 11 years after the Howard Government promised $455 million to widen the M1 to Tugun. However, the money was spent further north on the M1.
In 2016, federal and state governments argued over who should pay for upgrades. A Bulletin campaign led to both tiers of governments agreeing to a deal.
In the past two years, gridlock on the state’s busiest road has worsened. Reports show commuters will lose $400 million a year in lost wages before long due to being stuck in M1 traffic.
Motorway congestion became a central issue of last year’s State election campaign, with the LNP proposing a second arterial road alongside the M1, between Nerang-Broadbeach and Staplyton-Jacobs Well roads, at $500 million. Labor ridiculed the costing.
The RACQ said at the time that both the second M1 and Labor’s proposal to widen the southern stretch to Tugun were needed to solve traffic congestion.
M1 ‘VITAL TO COAST ECONOMY’
THE M1 is close to reaching capacity, causing more gridlock and hurting Queensland’s economy as
it grinds to a halt.
More than 150,000 cars use the M1 each day to travel between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Thousands of other motorists are also using it an alternative to already congested arterial roads.
The gridlock is costing the city tens of millions of dollars in lost wages and productivity each year.
Moncrieff MP and Federal Trade Minister Steven Ciobo said a long-term solution was needed to solve the gridlock issues on the M1
“As the Gold Coast and Brisbane populations continue to grow, the M1 will remain stressed and this is vital funding which needs to be matched by the State Government. We need a long-term solution,” he said.
“I am pleased the Coalition has once again delivered for the Coast.
“The M1 is a vital economic artery for this city.”
Latest Treasury figures predict the Gold Coast workforce travelling to Brisbane will increase to 45,000 in 2040-41.
Combined with 75,000 commuters from Logan, Brisbane’s transport network will need to cope with an influx of 120,000 workers each day.
Among the mooted solutions was to build the inter-regional transport corridor, a “second M1 between Carrara and Stapylton.
If built the RACQ said it would likely take 60,000 cars off the M1.
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