Roads - articles and discussion

[verbatim9]

There already are a very large number of tradies who commute to the inner city to work on projects there.

Overwhelmingly the traffic that doesn't have to be on the road is single occupant cars.  That's where the reductions are to be made - even moreso than for dual or more occupant cars (since those are all batting above average).

Agree with @Surfrail that some tradies already take Public Transport when working at one site for a period of time. The mobile tool kit on wheels idea, which some already use is just an incentive to think outside the box when it comes to transport options.

I don't really see an increase of delivery vans clogging up the road. I do see a lot more utes on the road over the last few years. There is also Tax incentives to buy and run utes especially as a contractor in Australia.

There also has been a rise in people obtaining 2 stroke mopeds for meal deliveries. This has contributed to unacceptable noise and air pollution. In California these 2 stroke mopeds are outlawed.

[SurfRail]

It's the rideshare mobs who have really driven up congestion in the inner city since they've saturated the market and cruise around looking for jobs.

[verbatim9]

Couriermail.com.au----> Logan Motorway, Gateway Motorway see jumps in traffic following roadwork completion

QLD BUSINESS
Logan Motorway, Gateway Motorway see jumps in traffic following roadwork completion
Traffic has jumped on southeast Queensland's two busiest toll roads, with one of the region's most notorious congestion nightmares now fixed.

October 10, 2019 5:00pm

COURIERMAIL.COM.AU0:19

TRAFFIC has surged on southeast Queensland's two busiest toll roads, with their operator spruiking a 20-minute cut to travel times.

The Logan and Gateway motorways saw 3.1 and 3.8 per cent growth, respectively, over the September quarter.

Transurban chief executive Scott Charlton told the company's annual general meeting that the recently completed Logan Enhancement Project had fixed a notorious commuter headache along the Logan Mwy.

"Before the upgrade, it could take up to 45 minutes to travel just 500 metres to get onto the Logan," Mr Charlton said. "Now that trip is taking about five minutes."

The stretch in question is the Wembley Rd on-ramp onto the toll road.

Transurban said travel times along the whole Logan Mwy were about 20 minutes faster today than they were before the upgrade.

A similar project on the Gateway Mwy also wrapped up in January.

The upgrades however took cars and trucks off the company's other roads, with a 2.1 per cent decline in trips through the Clem7 and a soft 1.3 per cent growth for the AirportLinkM7.

Overall growth across Brisbane grew by 2.7 per cent in the quarter, compared with last September quarter, above the national average of 1.8 per cent.

Its worst performing Queensland asset was the Go Between Bridge in Brisbane, which saw traffic shrink 2.4 per cent.

Transurban Queensland group executive Sue Johnson however defended the link between the city and South Brisbane.

"The Go Between Bridge is performing as expected," Ms Johnson said, pointing to its average daily use of 11,000 commuters.

"When you look at it in context, that's 11,000 less trips on the Victoria Bridge or 11,000 less trips on the William Jolly," she said.

Ms Johnson also said the current pipeline of infrastructure in Queensland was a positive, despite Transurban's chairman Lindsay Maxstead calling for politicians in Canberra to fast track infrastructure spending nationwide

[achiruel]

Congestion charge the cheapest, most effective way to reduce traffic jams in Australia, report finds

A new report by the Grattan Institute is calling for all major cities in Australia to impose a congestion charge on drivers during peak hours to ease heavy traffic in the CBD.

Key Points

• A Grattan Institute report is calling for a congestion charge on drivers who travel into the CBD during peak hours
• Those who drive into the CBD to work have some of the highest incomes in Australia
• Lead researcher Marion Terrill said the charge should match public transport fees

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-13/should-australia-have-a-congestion-charge/11597022

I'm all for a congestion charge, and I think the revenue raised (after administration costs) should be ploughed into improving the reliability and efficiency of public transport.

[ozbob]

^ Congestion tolling thread here > https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9078.msg228685#msg228685

[verbatim9]

A car registration revolution is just a couple of months away. Queensland vehicle owners will be able to pay their rego monthly instead of the up-front annual fee. @STitmus7 #7NEWS https://t.co/m1PorGPHuG

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/1183660961342689280

[achiruel]

There's already half-yearly and quarterly options. The way the media has been going on, one might think annual payments are the only option.

[verbatim9]

There's already half-yearly and quarterly options. The way the media has been going on, one might think annual payments are the only option.

Yeah if a person can't afford a quarterly payment on their rego they should think twice of owning a vehicle.  But all good with the new periodical payments. There must of been heaps of defaults in relation to rego payments for this happen. One can now call it a "Rego subscription"

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> No congestion-busting benefit from Brisbane's $10 billion toll roads: expert

Brisbane no longer receives congestion-busting benefits from its three underground road tunnels after a decade and $10 billion in costs, a Brisbane transport and urban planning specialist says.

Instead, Associate Professor Matthew Burke from Griffith University's Cities Research Institute said Greater Brisbane would have benefited from building the Cross River underground rail and Brisbane Metro bus project a decade ago and improving the region's public transport first.

"Today we remain a pretty car-dominant society," he said.

"Many of us [transport planners] would look and say – particularly at Legacy Way and Clem7 – if we had invested $8 billion or so in alternative projects like Cross River Rail [$5.4 billion] and Brisbane Metro [$1 billion].

"Had we did those two projects instead – that is what Vancouver has done and what Sydney is doing with its Metro – then we would have really boosted our public transport."

Associate Professor Burke on Monday spoke in favour of introducing a future congestion price to reduce peak-hour CBD congestion.

The Melbourne-based Grattan Institute released a discussion paper supporting a scheme where motorists pay a small price – equivalent to a public transport fare – to drive their car into Australia's capital city CBDs.

The Grattan Institute said a congestion price on cars is realistic in Sydney and Melbourne within a decade, but unfortunately did not study Brisbane, which last looked at congestion pricing in 2011.

Associate Professor Burke said Brisbane did receive a "sugar hit" from the three tunnels, Clem7 (March 2010), Airport Link (July 2012) and Legacy Way (May 2015), when they first opened.

"But since we have actually found ourselves in the last few years in pretty rapidly increasing congestion," Associate Professor Burke said.

"We really haven't built our way out of congestion in any way."

He also referred to Brisbane's traffic data collected by the vehicle traffic technology and referred to as Brisbane's TomTom congestion index.

TomTom technology shows Brisbane's travel time in morning peaks has increased by 2 per cent since 2017.

It estimates Brisbane's peak hour travel time has increased by 14 minutes and the evening peak hour has increased by 15 minutes.

RACQ has found similar extensions to Greater Brisbane's peak-hour travel times, despite significant road expenditure by Brisbane City Council and the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Associate Professor Burke said Brisbane has not seen the shift to public transport that planners have seen in Sydney and Melbourne.

"We are not seeing the sharp uptake in rail patronage and there are some well-documented issues with QR over the last couple of years," he said.

"We just haven't seen those things happen in Brisbane, and that is quite a disappointment."

Associate Professor Burke said those three tunnels cost the private and public sectors about $10 billion.

Clem7 cost $3.2 billion, AirportlinkM7 cost $4.8 billion, while Legacy Way cost about $1.5 billion

[OzGamer]

What a surprise! That was ten billion dollars well spent.

[verbatim9]

Yep Utopia sums it up----->https://iview.abc.net.au/show/utopia/series/4/video/CO1811V008S00

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> No congestion-busting benefit from Brisbane's $10 billion toll roads: expert

Brisbane no longer receives congestion-busting benefits from its three underground road tunnels after a decade and $10 billion in costs, a Brisbane transport and urban planning specialist says.

Instead, Associate Professor Matthew Burke from Griffith University's Cities Research Institute said Greater Brisbane would have benefited from building the Cross River underground rail and Brisbane Metro bus project a decade ago and improving the region's public transport first.

"Today we remain a pretty car-dominant society," he said.

"Many of us [transport planners] would look and say – particularly at Legacy Way and Clem7 – if we had invested $8 billion or so in alternative projects like Cross River Rail [$5.4 billion] and Brisbane Metro [$1 billion].

"Had we did those two projects instead – that is what Vancouver has done and what Sydney is doing with its Metro – then we would have really boosted our public transport."

Associate Professor Burke on Monday spoke in favour of introducing a future congestion price to reduce peak-hour CBD congestion.

The Melbourne-based Grattan Institute released a discussion paper supporting a scheme where motorists pay a small price – equivalent to a public transport fare – to drive their car into Australia's capital city CBDs.

The Grattan Institute said a congestion price on cars is realistic in Sydney and Melbourne within a decade, but unfortunately did not study Brisbane, which last looked at congestion pricing in 2011.

Associate Professor Burke said Brisbane did receive a "sugar hit" from the three tunnels, Clem7 (March 2010), Airport Link (July 2012) and Legacy Way (May 2015), when they first opened.

"But since we have actually found ourselves in the last few years in pretty rapidly increasing congestion," Associate Professor Burke said.

"We really haven't built our way out of congestion in any way."

He also referred to Brisbane's traffic data collected by the vehicle traffic technology and referred to as Brisbane's TomTom congestion index.

TomTom technology shows Brisbane's travel time in morning peaks has increased by 2 per cent since 2017.

It estimates Brisbane's peak hour travel time has increased by 14 minutes and the evening peak hour has increased by 15 minutes.

RACQ has found similar extensions to Greater Brisbane's peak-hour travel times, despite significant road expenditure by Brisbane City Council and the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Associate Professor Burke said Brisbane has not seen the shift to public transport that planners have seen in Sydney and Melbourne.

"We are not seeing the sharp uptake in rail patronage and there are some well-documented issues with QR over the last couple of years," he said.

"We just haven't seen those things happen in Brisbane, and that is quite a disappointment."

Associate Professor Burke said those three tunnels cost the private and public sectors about $10 billion.

Clem7 cost $3.2 billion, AirportlinkM7 cost $4.8 billion, while Legacy Way cost about $1.5 billion

^

Interview on ABC Brisbane Radio Breakfast Hosts Loretta Ryan and Craig Zonca with Associate Professor Matthew Burke 15th October 2019.

Here --> https://backontrack.org/docs/abcbris/abcbris_mb15oct19.mp3 MP3 10.7 MB

" ... We under-invested in the public transport network ... "   

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane commute times stabilising on most major roads

BRISBANE motorists are still enduring average speeds of less than 40km/h in peak hour, but new figures show traffic woes on some of the city's busiest roads are stabilising.

Brisbane City Council's latest key corridors performance reports show motorists are travelling at average speeds of 36km/h during the morning peak period and at 39km/h in the afternoon peak.

The figures, which were recorded between January and June, remained largely unchanged from the same six month period last year.

The road that suffered the biggest drop in travel speeds was the Inner City Bypass eastbound, with motorists travelling on average at speeds of 41km/h in morning peak – down from 53km/h.

Of the 27 roads assessed, the Bruce Highway had one of the best improvements, increasing from an average speed of 51km/h to 75km/h.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said his administration would continue to make investments in new road projects to boost traffic speeds, pointing to the $500 million Better Roads for Brisbane Fund.

"This will include major corridors with more lanes and better intersections in suburbs including Indooroopilly, Rochedale, Ransome, Newstead, Mount Gravatt, Carseldine and Bracken Ridge and improving more than 1000 local roads to reduce congestion and create smoother streets," he said.

The report shows Coronation Drive, which has a speed limit of 60km/h, had the slowest average travel speed in the morning peak at 19km/h.

Jubilee Terrace and Wardell Street had the slowest average speed in the afternoon peak at 24km/h.

[verbatim9]

Couriermal Quest----> Redland City Council leads the way with new plastic road

Redland City Council leads the way with new plastic road
This innovative southeast Queensland council is turning plastic milk and shampoo bottles into road resurfacing material in a first for the Sunshine State that is leading the green revolution.

IN a matter of weeks motorists will be literally driving on plastic when they head along Princess St at Cleveland.

Redland City Council is pioneering a process which turns plastic bottles like milk and shampoo bottles into new, high-quality asphalt.

In a Queensland first, Redland City Council is working with recycler Alex Fraser and Suncoast Asphalt to resurface 1km of Princess Street, Cleveland, with Green Roads PolyPave.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said in keeping with council's strong focus on sustainability, it was hoped the pilot project would lead to many more roads being built and resurfaced using reclaimed materials.

"Roads are big business for council, so if we can find a better way to build and maintain them using sustainable materials while removing waste from landfill that would be a major coup," Cr Williams said.

Mayor Karen Williams met with Alex Fraser and Suncoast Asphalt General Manager Brendan Camilleri to inspect progress on Queensland's first road containing hard plastics.

Mayor Karen Williams met with Alex Fraser and Suncoast Asphalt General Manager Brendan Camilleri to inspect progress on Queensland's first road containing hard plastics.

"This is very much part of council's vision for our naturally wonderful Redlands Coast, so we are excited to be at the forefront of greener road building and the environmental benefits that can bring.

The project will see 933 tonnes of reclaimed asphalt and about 90,000 hard plastics, such as the milk and shampoo bottles become part of Princess St.

Ms Williams said it was the equivalent of about nine months of kerbside recycling collection.

"I have been working with the Australian Local Government Association to investigate these sorts of innovative solutions for years and I am pleased this work is delivering value for the community."

Alex Fraser and Suncoast Asphalt general manager Brendan Camilleri said this was an example of how circular economy could be achieved with local government.

"Redland City Council's progressive approach to the use of sustainable material is paving the way for Queensland," he said.

"This is an outstanding example of how local government can harness recycling to build and maintain their cities, and reduce their projects' carbon footprint by up to 65 per cent."

He said Green Roads PolyPave was also a more durable product which lasted longer than regular asphalt, bringing long-term cost benefits.

"When we incorporate recycled plastics into Green Roads PolyPave it becomes part of the DNA of the road, meaning there is no issue with micro-plastics entering the environment," he said.

"There is also an enormous carbon saving, with the process producing 43 per cent less CO2 emissions when compared with conventional asphalt."

The resurfacing, between Bloomfield and Passage streets, is due to be completed on November 8, weather permitting.

[verbatim9]

Wow! this unbelievable. The Coomera Connector is getting fast tracked

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/green-light-second-m1-the-first-stage-will-be-from-the-gold-coast-end/news-story/fe18a4b52de673691f6f98d60b6116b0

Has to be a vote grabber?

[#Metro]

Wow! this unbelievable. The Coomera Connector is getting fast tracked

Misnomer: Tracked

How about Gold Coast Rapid Rail as a counter-policy?

[verbatim9]

Wow! this unbelievable. The Coomera Connector is getting fast tracked

Misnomer: Tracked

How about Gold Coast Rapid Rail as a counter-policy?

The only way LNP could trump this is to offer both. But will prove impossible or unlikely.  It's like Labor is moving to grab votes from drivers as they know there are less votes in most  Public Transport projects. Hence significant less spending in that area.

[#Metro]

Plenty of people went to climate strikes etc.

I think the social climate is changing. The politicians are old school.

If you offer speeds and travel times not legal to do in your car, it will be a winner.

People love the GC tram... Mind changer.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Green light second M1: the first stage will be from the Gold Coast end

THE State Government has pushed the green light on the Coomera Connector, with the critical section between Nerang and Coomera to be built first.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will tomorrow announce details of the so-called second M1, with the first stage to take an estimated 60,000 vehicles off the congested Pacific Motorway.

The State Government has committed $10 million for the current planning work for the project, which it had costed at $2.4 billion.

But the LNP maintains the planned Coomera Connector from Nerang to Stapleton could be built for $500 million and have accused Labor of dragging its heels on the project.

The Premier is to announce the government will start consultation next month on its plans for stage one of the six-lane highway.

Ms Palaszczuk said traffic data and population projections presented a compelling case for staging the project, starting at the Gold Coast end of the major M1 alternative.

"Traffic counts done earlier this year showed 210,000 vehicles travel on the M1 between Coomera and Nerang every day," Ms Palaszczuk told the Bulletin.

"Current TMR estimates tell us constructing stage one from the south would take up to 60,000 vehicles a day off the M1 at the Coomera River."

The Premier said residents could expect to see a lot of work happening around the proposed stage one route in the coming months.

"TMR staff will start talking with residents next month, with flora and fauna studies and detailed plans being drawn up," she said.

"We're on track to start work on the business case in the coming months too."

LNP MPs along with area councillors in recent months all agreed on the southern section gaining priority, saying it was critical to get another transport link across the Coomera River.

Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon said she had been calling for an alternative to the M1 on the Coast on behalf of her community since being elected.

"I have backed the planning being done by our government since day one," Ms Scanlon said.

"We would be closer to building the Coomera Connector had the LNP not blocked it when they were last in power. I can't change that, but I can make sure it gets done now.

"Prioritising the Coomera to Nerang section for stage one is definitely the right call."

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said prioritising the Gold Coast section meant the focus would come off the northern section of the Coomera Connector between Loganholme and Coomera.

"Staging the works will give the project team more time to investigate potential alternative routes for the northern section, to take into account local environmental concerns," he said.

"TMR will work with the community, the Queensland Government's Koala Advisory Council, other volunteer groups and government environmental agencies to develop a Coomera Connector environmental management plan."


Map for the Coomera Connector showing the southern section.

[achiruel]

Plenty of people went to climate strikes etc.

I think the social climate is changing. The politicians are old school.

If you offer speeds and travel times not legal to do in your car, it will be a winner.

People love the GC tram... Mind changer.

I don't think travel times is everything it's cracked up to be tbh. Some people will prefer public transport if it is reliable and frequent even if it takes a little longer than driving (not like 2-3 times as long, though) as they can read, browse FB, just chill out, whatever...no stress.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1187565126506799104

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2019/10/25/gold-coast-growth-sets-southern-focus-for-coomera-connector-stage-1

Media Statements
JOINT STATEMENT

Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Mark Bailey

Friday, October 25, 2019

Gold Coast growth sets southern focus for Coomera Connector Stage 1

Construction of a major new road east of the M1 between Coomera and Nerang will be prioritised to take pressure off the highway and support growing north Gold Coast communities.

The Palaszczuk Government will start consultation next month on its plans for stage one of the Coomera Connector, also known as the 'second M1'.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said traffic data and population projections presented a compelling case for staging the project, starting at the Gold Coast end of the major M1 alternative.

"Traffic counts done earlier this year showed 210,000 vehicles travel on the M1 between Coomera and Nerang every day," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"Current TMR estimates tell us constructing the southern section as stage one would take up to 60,000 vehicles a day off the M1 at the Coomera River."

The Premier said residents could expect to see a lot of work happening around the proposed stage one route in the coming months.

"TMR staff will start talking with residents next month, with flora and fauna studies and detailed plans being drawn up," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"We're on track to start work on the business case in the coming months too."

Member for Gaven Meaghan Scanlon said she had been calling for an alternative to the M1 on the Gold Coast on behalf of her community since being elected.

"I have backed the planning being done by our government since day one," Ms Scanlon said.

"We would be closer to building the Coomera Connector had the LNP not blocked it when they were last in power.

"I can't change that, but I can make sure it gets done now.

"Prioritising the Coomera to Nerang section for stage one is definitely the right call."

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said prioritising the Gold Coast section meant the focus would come off the northern section of the Coomera Connector between Loganholme and Coomera.

"Staging the works will give the project team more time to investigate potential alternative routes for the northern section, to take into account local environmental concerns," he said.

"TMR will also work with the community, the Queensland Government's Koala Advisory Council, other volunteer groups and government environmental agencies to develop a Coomera Connector environmental management plan.

"The people of the Gold Coast want action on an M1 alternative, while those living along the northern section of the proposed route want us to look at other options.

"We have listened to their concerns and the decision to stage these works by putting the Gold Coast first means we can keep moving ahead with this as a priority project."

The 45-kilometre Coomera Connector corridor between Loganholme and Nerang was formally confirmed in the Queensland Government Gazette on 15 March 2019.

The prioritised southern section will run from Nerang Broadbeach Road at Nerang, to Foxwell Road at Coomera.

ENDS

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/DebFrecklington/status/1187577444238155778

[achiruel]

Does this road have any potential for public transport use? Bus routes? It doesn't look terribly useful to me for buses, but I happy to be shown incorrect.

[Cazza]

Please tell me this is a joke.

The second M1 will be duplicating the current M1 at its widest part between Brisbane and Sydney. If this part of the freeway is so desperate for an increase in capacity, doesn't this tell you that adding more lanes will do f*ck all to help alleviate congestion? Induced demand is not a difficult concept to understand.



Even then, the funniest part about it is that this section of freeway is the least congested part. How about you look at between the border and Robina or Logan to Eight Mile Plains or even completely redo the Riverside Expressway along with Corro Dr/Hale St interchange. Then you will actually get some benefits back rather than burning over $2 billion just to increase carbon emissions, decrease people's quality of life and make it harder to reach carbon targets that we are getting further away from each and every day. Ever considered that one?

Then, what happens to all these cars when they have to funnel the combined 7 or 8 lanes between Loganholme and Nerang back into just 3 lanes north of Beenleigh, or even worse, 2 lanes south of Varisty Lakes? Yes, these stretches are set to get "upgrades" in the coming years but if my maths is correct, 8>3 or 4 and therefore, you will not be able to fit 8 lanes worth of traffic into 3 lanes without causing significant congestion backlogs that were supposed to disappear in the first place. ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE.

When will we stop seeing stupid vote grabbers get in the way and finally see projects that will actually bust congestion built? Both experts and members of the community who will actually allegedly "benefit" from these projects are saying no, it's not worth it. It will not provide benefits that have been stated or it will have huge implications that have been completely overlooked in the first place.

It's all well and good to post about CRR and talk about how the Olympics will need regional rapid rail Mr Minister for Instagram, but how about you actually do something to get these projects built.

My neighbour's dead dog is more competent than half of the politicians in this state. At least she knew how to take of sh!t in an appropriate place and manner, not releasing it publicly to the entirety of this state and saying how good it is, when in reality, it's just a steaming pile of faeces. I'm absolutely infuriated by some of the decisions made as it's my generation that will have to put up with it and fix the mess that should have been cleaned up if the project had been done properly in the first place.

So please, all we ask is that you listen minster. We live in a democracy. Give the public what they want and something that will be useful for generations to come, not just turn into another waste of money on a redundant road project. You cannot and will not ever be able to out built congestion by using roads.

I'll leave this here, so we will never forget just the sheer importance that public transport has on cities and how mass transit holds the key to living in a sustainable future.
https://stephenrees.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/29187-m4oqnr.gif?w=700

[ozbob]

Does this road have any potential for public transport use? Bus routes? It doesn't look terribly useful to me for buses, but I happy to be shown incorrect.

Don't know really, but might be handy for express rail replacement bus ...   

[#Metro]

Even then, the funniest part about it is that this section of freeway is the least congested part. How about you look at between the border and Robina or Logan to Eight Mile Plains or even completely redo the Riverside Expressway along with Corro Dr/Hale St interchange. Then you will actually get some benefits back rather than burning over $2 billion just to increase carbon emissions, decrease people's quality of life and make it harder to reach carbon targets that we are getting further away from each and every day. Ever considered that one?

Politics is not run on logic, or even what is good.

It is about what people want. If a sexy road gets the votes, that's what will be built.

I think the trick here is to propose something better, rapid rail, that will be faster than what cars could legally do. Want to make it contraversial - put it into the median of the motorway and remove car lanes.

[Gazza]

We need to smash out some media about the need for regional rapid rail between the Gold Coast and Brisbane

[achiruel]

Can rapid regional rail realistically be built for $2b? If not, where are we getting the extra money from?

I think the $2b could be better spent, but I don't think we can build rapid regional rail for that price.

I'd like to see some of it improving bus services to existing and new stations on the Gold Coast line and capacity improvements between Dutton Park and Salisbury. The problem is spending money in suburban Brisbane doesn't make it immediately obvious to Gold Coast residents how you're improving things for them.

[verbatim9]

Could see the line extended to OOL for 2 billion for sure. Plus the third line from Kuraby to Loganlea and the new Station at Logan Hospital and amplification at Beenleigh. This new road is inevitable, now being pushed by both political parties.

[timh]

Does this road have any potential for public transport use? Bus routes? It doesn't look terribly useful to me for buses, but I happy to be shown incorrect.

The stretch of highway they're planning on building here basically runs right next to the existing heavy rail line, so I doubt pollies would bother adding any new PT routes here.

And Cazza, thanks for all that you said. Mirrors my thoughts entirely. While there's strong community support for the Coomera connector, the people who support it are morons. People who drive from Gc-Bris for work are the only people who would want this, and their wishes are misguided.

The money would be better spent on improving GC line speeds through realignment or track amplification. You could do a lot for $2b. Speed up the train and increase station connectivity at the BRISBANE end.

GC stations are reasonably well connected, and as I've already said most of the people pushing for this are those commuting to Brisbane. The people I know who do this aren't necessarily working in the city. They're working in Brisbane southside suburbs and connecting from a train station to their destination is needlessly complicated and slow. I know someone who lives at Merrimac and works at Upper Mount Gravatt. For him he says it's just not practical to take the train coz it doesn't take him where he wants to go. I've seen this sentiment repeated.

Convenience is the first thing people will go for. A big fat road that gives more room for me to drive my car where I want to go? Easy!

To incentivise these people to catch PT instead it has to be turn up and go, and offer VERY frequent and convenient first and last mile connections. Hence why with a majority of the voting population, they'll go for the big fat road every time, because without major reform, PT doesn't hold a candle to it in their eyes. It's a vote-winning gold mine, because in my experience, the vast majority of the Coomera connector supporters are idiots and are oblivious to the inherent flaws Cazza is pointing out.

If we were to push for a rail alternative, it has to be fiscally realistic (a new alignment down the M1 would cost more than $2bn) and be seen as a convenient option for motorists (high frequency, good first and last mile connections). I'm open to suggestions because we have to do something to wake people up to the fact that in the long run duplicating the M1 is a monumentally stupid idea that will only make things worse.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[James]

Please tell me this is a joke.

The second M1 will be duplicating the current M1 at its widest part between Brisbane and Sydney. If this part of the freeway is so desperate for an increase in capacity, doesn't this tell you that adding more lanes will do f*ck all to help alleviate congestion? Induced demand is not a difficult concept to understand.

<snip>

Good post.

Building an extra three lanes in each direction is a terrible idea. The M1 really isn't that bad anyway. Sure, it is a bit slow at the end of long weekends and in peak hour, but is this really a bad thing? The long weekend traffic tapers off by dinner time anyway.

The planned exit upgrade works, along with some local M1 widening to minimise the impact of merging vehicles (which is often a major cause of congestion on motorways), will be enough to squeeze another 5-10 years of capacity out of the M1 between Beenleigh and Nerang without having to build a new road.

If the Coomera Connector was just a local road (1-2 lanes each direction) with the vision of taking local trips off the M1 - fine, that would provide good bang for buck. But increasingly it looks more like a second M1 - bad, will just result in bottlenecks at both ends.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Second M1 start: Coomera Connector roadworks to begin in 2023 once design and business case complete

CONSTRUCTION of the second M1 is set to begin by 2023 after the completion of detailed design and business studies with the State Government putting its foot on the pedal to build the Coomera Connector.

A report in the Bulletin today that the green light had been given to the $2.4 billion project sparked immediate speculation about when construction would start on the Nerang to Coomera 17km first stage of the 45km long six-lane highway.

Opposition leader Deb Frecklington ridiculed the announcement by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, accusing her of taking the Coast "for a ride" because "not a single cent will go towards the construction" of the project.

"I have backed the second M1 since I became leader of the LNP and I have put $550m on the table to start building immediately," Ms Frecklington told the Bulletin.

"The LNP built the first M1 and we will build the Second M1. Annastacia Palaszczuk had five years to back the Second M1 but did nothing."

But transport sources suggest the first part of the work on the southern section would involve community consultation through to the end of the year, followed by a business case which would be developed in 2020.

The next phase would be the detailed design along with negotiations with the Commonwealth on funding — both of those "overlap a bit".

The most likely scenario is the design and funding will be confirmed in 2021 "then you put it out for contract in 2022 and start work in 2023.

"It's probable but all those things have to happen. You have to have all your ducks line up," the source said.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey told the Bulletin: "We want to expedite it. That's our priority. We are getting the business case and design case as quickly as we can. Anyone who is suggesting we can start it tomorrow is pulling people's legs."

But Ms Frecklington and her LNP MPs on the Coast are not convinced, staging their own media conference after the Premier hosted one with Gaven Labor MP at Carrara's Metricon Stadium.

"Annastacia Palaszczuk has her head in the sand when it comes to traffic on the M1. This is simply another Labor delay and it's just not good enough. If Labor was serious about the

second M1 it would put serious money on the table," Ms Frecklington said.

The Premier told the media: "The second M1 is a vital road network that we need to be doing the planning on. In areas like Coomera and Pimpama we're seeing some growth rates of people moving into these areas of over four per cent (annually). What we need to do is we need to cater for that growth, we have to make sure we do that now.

"My government has put in $10 million and the Federal Government has put in $10 million, and the planning work gets underway now. That will formulate the business case."

The RACQ has welcomed the announcement, saying it would provide relief for the hundreds of thousands of motorists stuck in daily traffic commuting between Brisbane and the Coast.

RACQ's Paul Turner said the second M1 would be a game-changer for south east Queensland drivers who spent almost three weeks a year caught in congestion behind the wheel.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> RACQ report reveals the roads were peak time commuters are spending more time in traffic

TRAVELLING speeds across Brisbane and the Gold Coast's most congested roads have dropped significantly forcing motorists to spend more time in traffic every year.

The Sunday Mail can exclusively reveal that the average speed time for peak time commuters last month has dropped by up to 15km/hr or 27 per cent since the same time last year, prompting calls for the State Government to do more to fight congestion.

According to RACQ's monthly congestion report, the Pacific and Centenary Motorways were the worst during peak times, with average speeds recorded for September considered to be well below free-flowing on all sections.

The slowest area was the Centenary Motorway between the Toowong roundabout and Miskin St between 6am and 9am, with the average travelling speed just 23km/hr, which is down 1km/hr from last year.

The most dramatic drop in speed was on the Pacific Motorway between Gaza Rd and Juliette St between 6am and 9am, where the average speed dropped from 55km/hr last year to 40km/hr this year.

On the afternoon commute, from 4pm to 7pm, the most congested areas were the Centenary Motorway between Moggill Rd with an average speed of just 24km/hr (down 3km/hr from last year) and on the same motorway between Toowong Rd and Moggill Rd, with an average speed of 28km/hr.

"These speeds aren't necessarily going to get better in the short term on the Pacific Motorway, but work is underway so things will eventually get better," she said.

"It's the Centenary that is the huge concern, with speeds of just over 20ks on average in some sections.

"I think we need less talk and a solid commitment from the State Government as to what will be done to ease the pain for Western suburbs drivers."

Ms Smith said a combination of public transport improvements and road expansion projects are required to tackle the growing issue of congestion.

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> M1 Coomera Connector: $25m upgrade could see gridlock in just 10 years

THE Pacific Motorway's worst interchange will be in gridlock again in 10 years, even after undergoing a $25 million upgrade.

A Gold Coast City Council report shows the western and eastern sides of the Oxenford interchange wil be red-lining during peak traffic by 2031.

The only long-term traffic solution is building the $2.4 billion Coomera Connector and new overpass linking with Beattie Road north of the interchange, it reads.

The report says the $25 million upgrade of Exit 57 will help in the short to medium term. However, it will not address long-term traffic needs.

"It is important to note that other strategic road infrastructure projects proposed by the Queensland Government, such as a Coomera Connector and Beattie Road overpass, will be required to cater for growth and increasing local and cross motorway travel."

The Government last month announced it would put the foot to the pedal on the second M1, with consultation due to start next week, design and funding likely in 2022, and construction starting in 2023.

The report noted that the Government and council accepted the need for "more substantial investments on transport infrastructure, such as the Coomera Connector and its supporting network upgrades, and a potential Beattie Road overpass".

The Government will be responsible for funding a new overpass at a cost of up to $80 million. Council is required to upgrade roads around it and the Coomera Connector.

Area councillor William Owen-Jones told the Bulletin: "The report clearly shows Exit 57 will be clogged again by 2031. That's why the City supports the Coomera Connector and the State Government investing in an overpass connecting Beattie Road.

"The maps really show the urgency of building the Coomera Connector, and the roads should never have been taken off the maps by (then Deputy Premier) Jeff Seeney."

The Government is completing design work on the Oxenford interchange. Construction is due to start before Christmas and completed by next year.

The council report said the city's north would face significant future growth with Coomera's population to grow 18 per cent annually from 13,807 in 2016 to 47,906 in 2031 and 75,606 in 2041.

A new design option approved after Transport and Main Roads officers spoke to council transport staff provides for double turning lanes from Heathwood Drive on the western side of the M1 near the Oxenford Tavern, helping vehicles exit on the highway and head back north.

The upgrade allows for extra east-west through lanes on Hope Island Rd and right-turn lanes on the eastern service roads which will improve access across the interchange.

Once the upgrade is completed, southbound travel time on Healthwood Dr would be "reduced from the current 22 minutes to less than five minutes" with queue length decreasing from 1.5km to about 200 metres during the peak periods.

Details of the road changes for the upgrade of the Oxenford Interchange at the Pacific Motorway.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Report shows Centenary Motorway commute keeps getting longer

The RACQ has called on the State Government for action after a new report shows average commute times on Brisbane's slowest motorway for peak hour traffic have increased by nine minutes since 2018.

IF YOU feel that your commute along the Centenary Motorway just keeps getting longer, you would be right, by about nine minutes.

The extra time was revealed in a recent report from the RACQ showing commuting times for the year.

In response the motoring body has called on the State Government to commit to an upgrade of the Centenary Motorway, as the latest data showed motorists commuting to and from Brisbane's western suburbs were suffering.

The RACQ's September Travel Time report found weekday average speeds on Brisbane's motorways had slowed on many stretches when compared with the same time

last year, and the Centenary Motorway was the slowest of them all in both the morning and afternoon peaks.

Premier and Inala MP Annastacia Palaszczuk said her government had committed close to $100 million in upgrades along the Centenary Motorway.

"This includes the $80 million Sumners Road interchange which we've fully-funded creating 105 jobs," she said.

Work is progressing with footings and columns installed for the new two-lane eastbound bridge connecting Jamboree Heights to Darra.

State MP for Mount Ommaney Jess Pugh said she was also working to overcome the congestion issues.

"That's why I asked the Main Roads Minister to fast track the preparation of planning works to upgrade the Jindalee Bridge, a key chokepoint," she said.

"I fought to secure funding for the $80 million Sumner Road Interchange Upgrade, which is now underway and now we have a costing for the Centenary Motorway Jindalee Bridge Upgrade.

"I'll be asking the Minister to push this project to the top of the pile."

The RACQ's Renee Smith said on some sections of the Centenary Motorway on average an extra almost nine minutes was added to an already sluggish commute.

"The State Government needs to commit to funding upgrades of the Centenary," she said.

"The more time we spend talking about this, the longer western suburbs motorists will suffer.

"We need action.

"Work is needed all the way along the motorway, from Ipswich Motorway to Legacy Way, increasing capacity to at least six lanes.

"We also need better public transport options to reduce demand on roads – more frequent nd reliable bus services to the CBD and buses that link up with rail."

Ms Smith said the nearby Pacific Motorway south of Gaza Road to 1km south of Juliette Street experienced the largest reduction in speeds in the past year, with average travel speeds dropping from 50km/h to just 40km/h.

"This is Queensland's busiest road and it's over-capacity and struggling to cope with demand during peak times," she said.

"The saving grace for the Pacific Motorway is we have a number of upgrades either underway or in planning stage so congestion relief is on the way."

*Data provided to RACQ by the Department of Transport and Main Roads

[#Metro]

Run the Springfield line through Centenary. Solved.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/1192568535009988608

[verbatim9]

https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/1192568535009988608

Will the Centenary hwy become 8 lanes across too? "How LA" very sad!

[verbatim9]

https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/1192568535009988608

Will the Centenary hwy become 8 lanes across too? "How LA" very sad!

Everyone knows what happens when 8 lanes across meets another 8 lanes across, it becomes a huge congestion problem.