Ashmore intersection most dangerous on the Gold Coast

A Gold Coast intersection notorious for heavy traffic is also the city’s most dangerous, with a large number of serious crashes recorded.

AN intersection in Ashmore is the most dangerous in the city.

It is also the riskiest in the state.

Transport and Main Roads (TMR) data analysed by the RACQ shows there are more serious crashes at the junction of Olsen Ave/Currumburra Rd and Southport Nerang Rd in Ashmore than any other intersection in the city.

Between June 2018 and May 2021 six serious crashes were recorded, seriously injuring or killing seven people.

It marked the intersection as among the riskiest in Queensland. The worst was a junction in Cairns which recorded nine serious crashes and 18 people killed or seriously injured.

RACQ says a number of intersections in Logan were among the state’s worst due to “issues with congestion and design”.

RACQ head of public policy Susan Furze said it was extremely concerning to see a number of major crashes occur in the same locations and called for drivers to take more care.

“A common issue with many of these intersections ... is they are tricky to safely navigate and are often heavily congested, which can prove to be a dangerous combination for drivers,” Ms Furze said.

“... It’s vital to not rush, pay extra attention to traffic signs and signals, give way correctly, and always leave a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front.”

The junction of Olsen Ave and the Southport Nerang Road in Ashmore.

Congestion at the Olsen Ave/Southport Nerang Rd intersection has persisted despite the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) upgrading Olsen Ave to six lanes from Crestwood Drive in 2017.

A TMR spokesperson said the most recent traffic counts at the junction were undertaken on Wednesday, March 11, and Thursday, March 12, 2020, shortly before the first Covid-19 lockdown. On the first day, 60,067 vehicles used the junction and 57,386 the following day.

Southport MP Rob Molhoek said there were “huge traffic flows” through the junction.

“The Southport Nerang Road corridor needs urgent upgrades and review and realignment from Currumburra/Olsen Ave east to Queens St through Ashmore and Southport,” he said.

“Sections of the corridor have already been set aside but nothing has been done to increase capacity through the corridor or improve safety and traffic flows through key intersections at Edmund Rice Drive, Bailey Crescent, Margaret St, Minnie St and Queen Street.”

Southport MP Rob Molhoek.

Ms Furze said the RACQ wanted more money invested to upgrade junctions with high numbers of crashes.

“We want all levels of government to prioritise these intersections for safety upgrades,” she said.

“We know investing in infrastructure projects helps reduce congestion and, importantly, improves safety for all drivers in Queensland.”

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