Logan River intersection roadworks trigger Eagleby fears over Coomera Connector 2
The state government has begun $4 million in roadworks at a key intersection for the Coomera Connector, but insists the works are not part of the stage 2 link to Eagleby.
QLD News
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The state government has started $4 million of road works at a major intersection that will eventually be a crucial link in the state’s second M2 Coomera Connector between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
The works, on the northern side of the Logan River at Carbrook, have stirred concerns from residents at Eagleby, less than 1km away on the southern side of the river.
They claim that the government has failed to inform them of the north side preparatory works at the link road site, which will become a major intersection as part of stage 2 of the Coomera Connector.
However, the government is claiming the works on Mount Cotton Rd, Skinners Rd, and Beenleigh-Redland Bay Rd are not part of stage 2 of the connector and are nothing more than road widening, despite statements on the government’s website in September.
This week, in response to residents’ questions, Transport and Main Roads said the works were to widen and extend the existing Beenleigh-Redland Bay Rd at Carbrook and had nothing to do with connecting Eagleby to the north side of the river.
The government claim is in direct conflict with its online statement made five months ago that the preliminary evaluation for the upgrade and road works were “critical connections” and would be finalised by the end of 2024.
“This upgrade will provide critical connections (for) sic future stages of the Coomera Connector and support future growth of the South East Queensland region,” the TMR website continues to claim.
“The department is liaising with directly affected residents and businesses during the consultation phase and invites the community to have their say on the planning layout.”
The second stage of the Coomera Connector, also known as the Second M1, was gazetted in March 2019 without a business case or costings, or details of whether parts of the road would include future tolls.
The gazettal prompted outrage from Eagleby residents who claim their suburb and significant wetlands will be decimated when the six-lane highway ploughs through local streets, needing three bridges over the Logan River before finally connecting to Mount Cotton Rd at Skinners Park.
The government said the recent north-side road works began in late 2024 and are expected to be completed by mid-2025 to improve safety, access, and connectivity to Carbrook State School, Kimberley College, and Calvary Christian College.
A Main Roads spokesman said the community and local schools were informed prior to the works starting this month but insisted the project was not related to the Coomera Connector.
However, residents of Eagleby, who have been fighting to save their community from the Coomera Connector and any toll road for more than six years, claim they have not been informed about the works less than 2km away on the north side of the Logan River.
Eagleby resident Claire Taylor asked TMR’s Coomera Connector team about the northern road works and was told that the department did not have a completed business case or any environment approvals for any road works for stage 2 of the connector road.
“If they do not have approvals in place, why are they starting this work?” Ms Taylor asked.
“The people living in the Mount Cotton area are having the wool pulled over their eyes.
“All the way along Mount Cotton Rd, there are works going on grooming the road to become two lanes both ways in ready for the connector.
“But TMR says they are carrying out these works under the guise of necessary maintenance – when even blind Freddy can see it’s getting ready for widening for the connector.”
The government said the recent works included road widening to four lanes, upgraded signalised intersections, a high-quality off-road active transport path, and provisions for fauna passage along the Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road upgrade alignment at California Creek.
TMR is yet to detail when stage 2 of the Coomera Connector will start.
However, in November, TMR said the site of a demolished former Logan City Council building on the Pacific Highway at Loganholme would be “impacted” by future stages of the Coomera Connector, but failed to answer direct questions about where or when toll cameras would be installed.
AFTER PUBLICATION TMR ADDED THIS INFORMATION:
The Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road active transport path, currently being delivered, is a stand alone project. We believe this to be the project works pictured in your article.
The Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road active transport path project is not related to the Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road (California Creek Road to Mount Cotton Road) upgrade project.
The Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road (California Creek Road to Mount Cotton Road) upgrade project, referred to in the article, is only in the early planning phase and the Department of Transport and Main Roads does not currently have funding to progress to the business case phase – a critical step in the project’s lifecycle.
There is also no funding for the Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road (California Creek Road to Mount Cotton Road) upgrade project design phase or delivery phase.
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