Currumbin Creek Road and Sarawak Ave bridges demolished to make way for M1 upgrade

After almost four decades carrying thousands of motorists every day, two bridges have been removed as part of the $1 billion Varsity Lakes to Tugun Pacific Motorway upgrade.

After almost four decades carrying thousands of motorists every day, two bridges have been removed as part of the $1 billion Varsity Lakes to Tugun Pacific Motorway upgrade.

Exclusive video footage puts a spotlight on the night-time work by demolition crews working since mid-April to remove the bridges over Currumbin Creek Road and Sarawak Ave near Palm Beach.

Two new longer and wider bridges will be built to carry more vehicles and ease traffic congestion.

The road surface will also be replaced with a modern and innovative product which will increase the life of the highway and reduce noise, according to the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Two cranes removing concrete as old bridges are demolished as part of the $1 billion M1 upgrade from Varsity Lakes to Tugun.

TMR project director Jamie Osborne said the removal of the bridges was a significant milestone in the M1 upgrade which would relieve traffic congestion on the growing southern end of the Gold Coast.

“These bridges were built back in the 1980s. They will make way for new bridges which will be longer and wider, to cater for more lanes on the Pacific Motorway,” he said.

Local roads were closed to traffic to enable workers to undertake the “high risk” works which involved cranes removing about 270 tonnes of concrete.

“We would really like to thank everyone for their patience during this critical upgrade,” Mr Osborne said.

Cranes working to demolish an old bridge on the M1 as part of the $1 billion upgrade from Varsity Lakes to Tugun.

Coast-based MP Meaghan Scanlon said demolition crews had been working around the clock since mid-April to get the work done and it’s great to see the progress.

“All of us on the Gold Coast know how frustrating traffic can be, that’s why the Palaszczuk Government is spending $1 billion building a better M1 between Varsity Lakes and Tugun.

“There has been massive growth across the city and we’re making record investments in transport infrastructure to keep up.

“We’re getting on with delivering the $2.1 billion Coomera Connector, $1.2 billion for Gold Coast light rail stage three and $213 million for M1 interchange upgrades at Exits 41, 45 and 49.

“Plus we’re also building three new train stations at Pimpama, Hope Island and Merrimac”.

The M1 upgrades are projected to generate 850 direct jobs over the life of the project.

Aerial shot of night works to remove old bridges on the M1 as part of the $1 billion Varsity to Lakes to Tugun upgrade.

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Originally published as Currumbin Creek Road and Sarawak Ave bridges demolished to make way for M1 upgrade