Golden Age: Tunnel proposed as solution to Gold Coast’s traffic problems as Langbroek calls for mature debate

A TUNNEL similar to those used in Brisbane has been mooted as a possible solution to the Gold Coast’s traffic problems as calls grow for a ‘mature’ debate about the city’s future.

ROADING experts and politicians say key leaders must enter into a “mature” debate about how best to address the city’s gridlock.

A system of overpasses and underpasses similar to that in Adelaide has previously been suggested as a way of helping move traffic on choked up arterial roads such as Bundall Road, but have never gained support.

However, emeritus professor Arun Kumar, from Melbourne’s RMIT University, said Gold Coast planners should seriously look at tunnels as a solution to the city’s transport woes.

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A tunnel has been mooted as a possible solution. Pic Jono Searle.

“If you have too many overpasses it is not environmentally friendly, so where possible we should go under and look at the intensive use of public transport to move people around. This is the concept of smart city,” he said.

“It is going to be expensive in the immediate term but in the long run it would be the best option.”

The Gold Coast is no stranger to tunnel proposals. Three previous underground roads were mooted to run under Surfers Paradise in the late 1980s, the mid-1990s and again in 2004, but failed to gain support of council or state leaders.

The 1990s option would have cost up to $173 million to build.

Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek, who backed the 2004 proposal, said the city’s limitations made it essential for a “mature’ discussion” about how to ease congestion.

“We cannot rest on the laurels of the light rail, we need to look to the future as well as keep going with the extension south to Burleigh, though these are all limited by the State Budget,” he said.

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Traffic on Smith Street, Southport Pic by David Clark

‘Traffic is an ongoing problem. We are landlocked but there have been ideas such as hyperloops or roads above roads as they have in Bangkok and all of these things have to be on the table for long-term planning.

“Let’s have a mature debate about it rather than just dismiss people’s ideas because we have to do something.”

University of Canberra urban planning expert Dr Richard Hu said the Commonwealth Games would leave the Gold Coast a positive legacy through infrastructure.

Bundall Road. Picture by Scott Fletcher

However, he warned that planning for the road network across the next 10 years would require a focus on population growth.

“If there are areas where there is only one major arterial road into a growing suburb there must be greater public transport and a greater connection with the rail systems,” he said.