Gold Coast needs 16-lane roads to avoid gridlock as population hits one million
The M1 would need up to 26 lanes for free-flowing traffic as the Gold Coast heads toward one million residents, with officers warning the city faces complete gridlock if public transport options do not improve.
The state needs to make a “multi-decade, multi-billion-dollar commitment” to the Gold Coast’s public transport network or end up in a nightmare scenario where major roads will require 16 lanes to avoid traffic gridlock, the City has warned.
As the region races towards one million people, council’s future transport modelling shows the Pacific Mwy would need 18 to 26 lanes to have free flowing traffic unless the take-up in public transport increased.
Other major roads would need to be upgraded to 16 lanes to avoid traffic gridlock, the council report stated.
But that’s not a realistic option.
Councillors during a transport strategy briefing were told “we cannot build our way out of this with extra lanes”.
Their response has been to continue advocating for Light Rail Stage 4 to the border — recently dumped by the state government — and push for an east-west metro bus system.
They were told for the Coast’s current road network conditions to stay the same, as the population reached one million, public transport use would need to increase nine times.
Public transport currently accounts for three per cent of travel on the Gold Coast.
In Sydney it’s closer to 27 per cent, and in most of the world’s most liveable cities it’s above 21 per cent.
“It sounds like a big effort but other cities in the world do it — one hour milk run bus services is not going to cut it for a city of one million people,” an infrastructure officer said.
Mapping shows the morning peak hours in 2046 would see the M1 gridlocked from Nerang to Worongary, Robina to Palm Beach and Currumbin to Tweed Heads.
Traffic at Surfers Paradise would be at a standstill, along with much of Bundall Rd and links to Southport.
Transport model testing of a “Population One Million” scenario reveals:
• The Coomera Connector and light rail along with various M1 interchange and council road upgrades will help — but not be enough to satisfy future demand.
• Many roads will operate at a level “E” (near capacity) or “F” (over capacity) during peaks.
• If current peak hour reliance on private car trips persists, the city will face traffic gridlock.
• To achieve a free-flowing traffic scenario or “A” score, some major roads would need to have 12-16 lanes and get grade separated intersections.
“This includes the Smith Street Mwy and sections of the Gold Coast Hwy, Southport-Burleigh Rd, Coomera Connector and Foxwell Rd,” a City officer said.
Residents in feedback to council said the M1 was a barrier for east-west trips for all road users with more cross routes required.
The City’s east-west state roads are under the most pressure, with the worst links connecting Southport, Burleigh, Robina, Coomera and Pimpama.
Council conceded it has poor bus services in the northern suburbs and those west of the M1.
“Current one hour frequency on most bus services is poor and does not attract ‘choice’ riders,” an officer said.
The report found the City’s transport system was “at risk of being overwhelmed” and 88 per cent of trips were in cars, the same as in 2011 when the Transport Strategy 2031 was developed.
“Whilst our population has grown on the Gold Coast our mode share has remained stable,” the officer said.
Motorists nominated many intersections as a safety concern, particularly along east-west state roads, Southport-Burleigh Road, and in Robina, Coomera and Pimpama.
They complained that bus services were poor in the northern suburbs and suburbs west of the M1 and one hour frequency meant they were not using them regularly.
But there was “general positivity” about light rail and its planned expansion south with many residents also advocating for new routes west to Nerang and Robina and north to Hope Island and Paradise Point.
Senior councillor Peter Young, a light rail supporter, suggested the City considers funding of up to $5m for the future planned regional transport strategy with the government.
“The timeliness of that is critical, we can’t wait for five years for that. It needs to be delivered,” he said.
Mr Young also gained support from his colleagues for Light Rail Stage 4 to the border continuing to be a City transport priority.
“What concerns me is there is no focus at all, no mention of light rail, and honestly I don’t think we should not be playing that game,” he said.
“It was chosen because of the great product it can deliver as an integrated system, rather than getting three quarters of the job done and getting onto a bus. I think it would be remiss not to include it.”
Transport committee chair Darren Taylor, at the briefing on Tuesday, said residents in the high density suburbs of Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach were changing habits and using light rail.
“They have to, because of the amount of traffic on the road. But we are starting to provide alternative means to get around,” he said.
“A lot of residents in my view that would not a few years ago have got on light rail or walk between Broadbeach and Surfers, they’re actually changing the way they get around.”
Mr Taylor said building better east-west connections was the key to a multi-transport solution.
Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel said the future transport plan was “not about demonising cars” which would remain an essential way of moving around the Coast.
“We will continue investing in roads and intersections for safety and capacity — that must continue. But we also need to be upfront — we cannot build our way out of congestion with roads alone,” Mr Hammel told councillors.
“The only real solution is to give people genuine alternatives. That means more people
walking and cycling — and a lot more people using public transport.
“To achieve that, the state will need to make a multi-decade, multi-billion-dollar commitment to the Gold Coast’s public transport network.
“That includes delivering the connection from Stage 3 of the light rail to the airport, bringing
long-advocated east–west corridors to life, creating new north–south spines, improving
east–west links in the central and northern Gold Coast, and delivering a major uplift in the
reach and frequency of the bus network.
“East–west connections, in particular, don’t receive as much public attention — but they are absolutely vital for a functioning transport network for our future.”
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Originally published as Gold Coast needs 16-lane roads to avoid gridlock as population hits one million
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