Queensland election 2017: LNP to announce $500m duplication of M1 on Gold Coast
THE LNP has promised to duplicate one of Queensland’s busiest roads in an effort to ease congestion and win votes.
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THE LNP will today pledge to ease the congestion woes of frustrated motorists by building a duplicate highway to the Gold Coast.
LNP leader Tim Nicholls, should the LNP be handed Government by voters on November 25, will commit $250 million to building a second Gold Coast section of the M1, to give an alternative to motorists making the daily commute.
The second four-lane highway would run between Nerang-Broadbeach Rd and Stapylton-Jacobs Creek Rd.
The LNP has costed the project at $500 million.
Mr Nicholls said the extra $250 million would come from the Federal Government in a 50-50 split.
The policy is a direct play for votes on the Gold Coast and along the M1 corridor.
The Gold Coast region is currently an LNP stronghold but Labor is attempting to muscle in on the strip, in a bid to reach the 47 seats needed to win majority Government on polling day.
“Gold Coasters are sick of sitting in traffic day in, day out,” Mr Nicholls said.
“Our plan for a second M1 will get people home from work sooner.”
Mr Nicholls said the LNP would work with the Federal Government to ensure the project would receive the funding it needed.
A brawl broke out between Labor and the Federal Government over road funding for the M1 last year, after the Commonwealth insisted on a 50-50 split.
“By contrast, we will work constructively with the Federal Government to build this new four-lane arterial,” Mr Nicholls said.
The LNP announced a petition earlier this year to gauge the views of Gold Coasters over whether they wanted a second M1 built.
LNP roads spokesman Andrew Powell said the petition came out in support of the move.
“Locals want a second M1 to ensure they can get home in the case of an accident or traffic gridlock,” he said.
Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman Deb Frecklington said the $500 million project would create 1500 jobs.
Labor came out swinging earlier this year against the LNP’s petition regarding the project.
The Government claimed the real cost was closer to $2.4 billion, with that estimate believed to be based on a six-lane highway.
The estimate included resumptions costing about $60 million per kilometre.
A significant portion of the corridor has been preserved, with the Council of Mayors (SEQ) costing the project at $500 million.
It is understood Mr Nicholls spoke to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull about the project last week and he expressed a desire to work on it with the LNP.
The council of mayors listed the M1 duplication as among its infrastructure priorities in 2015, saying the project would “reduce pressure on the Pacific Motorway, provide alternative traffic routes if there is an incident and assist in the development of expected high growth areas of the city, particularly the Coomera Town Centre”, a document prepared by the body for the Federal Government stated.
The M1 runs from the Sunshine Coast to the NSW border via the Bruce Highway, Gateway and Pacific motorways. The duplication plan concerns the Pacific Motorway section.
Originally published as Queensland election 2017: LNP to announce $500m duplication of M1 on Gold Coast
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