Gold Coast light rail stage 3: How construction will impact on highway traffic

Construction of the Gold Coast light rail is ramping up between Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads, with the Gold Coast Highway to be reduced by multiple lanes. SEE HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR DRIVE.

The Gold Coast Highway from Broadbeach to Mermaid will be cut to two lanes in each direction, have on-street parking and bus lanes axed and speed limits limits reduced until September.

The major disruptions begin on the Gold Coast Highway stretch next week when the next phase of construction of the light rail’s $1.2bn third stage to Burleigh ramps up.

Temporary sewers will be built in the middle of the highway at Mermaid Beach while workers go underground to upgrade existing services ahead of the tracks being laid down in 2024.

Gold Coast City Council drainage works on the corner of Deodar Drive and Lower Gold Coast Highway before the start of Light Rail works in the area. Picture Glenn Hampson

GoldlinQ CEO Phil Mumford warned there would be significant delays for drivers on one of the city’s busiest arterial roads through the next two years.

“Due to the need to work in the middle of the Gold Coast Highway, these works will be impactful,” he said.

“There is a focus on getting the work done as quickly as possible and giving residents and businesses plenty of notice about what is happening. The works will be delivered during the day to minimise the noise impacts to local residents.”

GoldlinQ CEO Phil Mumford.

The highway will drop to two lanes of traffic during the works, with a myriad of other major changes, including:

* The removal of on-street parking on the highway;

* The removal of the existing north-south bus lanes;

* The outer lanes of the highway will remain open, while the speed limit will be reduced to 40km/h.

This phase of work, and the upheaval to lanes, on-street parking and bus lanes, will run until September, with some restrictions remaining in place as building works move further south.

Construction of Stage 3 is expected to be completed in 2025.

It comes after the Gold Coast Bulletin revealed in November that Mermaid Beach’s The Little Truffle had closed until at least mid-2023 while the tram building works occur on its doorstep.

Other traders are fearing the impact it will have on their businesses.

Construction of the tramline is ramping up. Picture: Tim Marsden

No financial compensation is forthcoming from either the Gold Coast City Council or state government.

Early work started in October on the 6.7km project, which will eventually run from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads.

Construction will initially focus on the northbound lanes in Mermaid Beach before switching to the southbound lanes.

Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey has forecast that the work would be difficult but would be worth it.

“Never again will you need to fight for a car park on Burleigh Hill when you and your surfboard can be dropped off at the surf club,” he said in December.

Matt Clowes, owner of Street Corner Espresso told the Bulletin he had lost around $200 a day in takeaway coffee sales as a result of the early works in Burleigh Heads. But added “you’ve got to be positive, this is difficult but there is still pedestrian access”.

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