Pacific Motorway (Brisbane–Brunswick Heads)
Pacific Motorway Queensland–New South Wales | |
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General information | |
Type | Motorway |
Length | 158 km (98 mi) |
Route number(s) |
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Former route number |
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Major junctions | |
North end | Inner City Bypass |
Gateway Motorway Logan Motorway Gold Coast Highway for full list see exits. | |
South end |
Pacific Highway Brunswick Heads |
Location(s) | |
Major suburbs / towns |
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Highway system | |
Highways in Australia National Highway • Freeways in Australia Highways in Queensland Highways in New South Wales | |
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The Pacific Motorway is a motorway in Australia between Brisbane, Queensland, and Brunswick Heads, New South Wales, through the New South Wales–Queensland border at Tweed Heads.
The motorway starts at Coronation Drive at Milton in Brisbane, The Brisbane city section of the motorway is often referred to by its former name, the Riverside Expressway. The motorway is about 150 kilometres (93 mi) long, and features eight traffic lanes with a 110 km/h (68 mph) speed limit between the M6 Logan Motorway and Smith Street Motorway and generally six or four lanes at 100 km/h (62 mph) on other sections. The motorway passes through the major tourist region of the Gold Coast, the destination for most of the vehicular traffic from Brisbane. More than A$2 billion was spent on the motorway between 1990 and 1998, including widening the road and safety measures.
The motorway passes Gold Coast attractions such as Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet'n'Wild Water World, and Dreamworld, which are among the most popular theme parks in Australia. Since 2008 the motorway connects with the Tweed Heads bypass in New South Wales.
There are also plans to progressively widen the four lane section from Nerang to Tugun to six lanes. The first section of this upgrade (Nerang to Varsity Lakes) was completed in May 2012. Planning is ongoing for the remaining section of the upgrade (Varsity Lakes to Tugun).[1]
The highest point of the motorway is 92 metres on a cutting 130 km (81 mi) south of Brisbane (between Cudgera Creek Rd and Sleepy Hollow Rest Area).[2]
History
Queensland section
The first section, opened in Brisbane in November 1972, was originally known as the Southeast Freeway.[3] It included the Riverside Expressway which was designed to alleviate traffic congestion in central Brisbane. The Southeast Freeway was connected to the Pacific Highway at Springwood in 1985.[3] The Southeast Freeway was designated originally as the F3, but this nomenclature was removed in 1994.
On 15 April 1996 it was announced that the Pacific Highway between the intersection with the Logan Motorway and Nerang would be upgraded to motorway standard.[4] From the Albert River at Beenleigh to Coombabah Creek at Gaven, about 28 km (17 mi), the road surface is portland cement concrete. The upgraded road was opened to the public in October 2000.[4]
In March 2006, the Queensland Government released planning for substantial changes to the section between Springwood and Daisy Hill, mainly at the entrances and exits along the section to deal with substantial traffic problems on surrounding streets and traffic backups onto the motorway. The planned upgrade led to some popular protest, mainly by people whose homes would be resumed for the project. Construction of the upgrade commenced in November 2009 and was completed in November 2012.[5]
The Tugun Bypass was completed in 2008. It has four lanes (two in each direction in 2008 and provision for six lane widening in the future). Widening from four lanes to six lanes is planned for 2025.[6]
Below is an overview of when each stage of the motorway was completed (from north to south):
- 1960 - Gaven Way. New road connecting Pacific Highway to Nerang, essentially forming the first stage of the Gold Coast bypass route, opened to traffic on 10 December 1960.
- 1961 - Gold Coast Highway interchange. Grade-separated interchange at Gaven Way.
- 1965 - Beenleigh bypass. First carriageway of the Beenleigh bypass opened to traffic in December 1965, followed by the second carriageway in December 1966.[7]
- 1971 - Coomera River bridge duplication. Second bridge across Coomera River officially opened by Minister for Main Roads Ron Camm on 3 June 1971, completing four lanes between Brisbane and Helensvale.[8]
- 1973 - Alice Street to Juliette Street. First stage of the South-East Freeway, including the Captain Cook Bridge, officially opened to traffic on 7 March 1973.[9]
- 1976 - Riverside Expressway. New expressway between Hale Street and Alice Street, mostly constructed on bridges, officially opened on 22 July 1976.[10]
- 1976 - Nerang to Reedy Creek. Reconstructed and realigned highway along the former rail reserve completed in December 1976.[11]
- 1977 - Juliette Street to Marshall Road. Second stage of the South-East Freeway opened between Juliette Street and Marshall Road on 27 July 1977.[12]
- 1979 - Nerang bypass. 2.5 km two-lane bypass of Nerang officially opened by Minister for Main Roads Russ Hinze on 6 April 1979.[13]
- 1980 - Marshall Road to Klumpp Road. Third stage of the South-East Freeway between Marshall Road and Klumpp Road officially opened on 21 October 1980.[14]
- 1982 - Klumpp Road to Logan Road. Fourth stage of the South-East Freeway opened between Klumpp Road and Logan Road by Queensland Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen on 13 August 1982.[15]
- 1985 - Reedy Creek to Tugun Extension. Two-lane bypass of West Burleigh opened to traffic in three stages; West Burleigh to Palm Beach in October 1981,[11] Reedy Creek to West Burleigh in November 1983,[11] and Palm Beach to Tugun on 17 May 1985.[16]
- 1985 - Helensvale to Nerang duplication. Four-lane duplication works completed between Gold Coast Highway and Nerang River in June 1985.[17]
- 1985 - Tweed Heads bypass. Two-lane bypass opened by Minister for Main Roads Russ Hinze on 18 July 1985 at a total cost of A$3.6m; second carriageway completed in December 1986.[18]
- 1985 - Logan Road to Compton Road. Fifth and final stage of the South-East Freeway officially opened by Russ Hinze on 22 November 1985.[17]
- 1986 - Logan River bridge duplication. New concrete bridge across Logan River, duplicating the 1968 bridge, officially opened on 16 July 1986.
- Watland Street to Winnetts Road six-laning: September 1994
- 1996 - Winnetts Road to Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road six-laning. Widening to six lanes and a new interchange at Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road completed in December 1996.[19]
- 1997 - Reedy Creek to Tugun duplication. Duplication to four lanes between Reedy Creek Road and Stewart Road and a southerly extension of Bermuda Street to the highway completed in June 1997.[20]
- 2000 - Loganholme to Nerang Upgrade (Pacific Motorway Upgrade). 43 km-long six-lane upgrade of the Pacific Motorway, including various interchange and service centre upgrades as well as heralding Queensland's first alphanumeric route number, M1, officially commissioned by Premier Peter Beattie and Minister for Main Roads Steve Bredhauer on 6 October 2000 at a completed cost of A$850m.[21]
- 2012 - Nerang to Worongary Upgrade. Six-lane widening works between Pappas Way and Gooding Drive completed on 25 May 2012.[22]
- 2014 - Worongary to Mudgeeraba Upgrade. Six-lane widening works between Gooding Drive and Robina Town Centre Drive completed on 26 September 2014.[23]
New South Wales section
The NSW section of the Pacific Motorway to Brunswick Heads is part of the Pacific Highway upgrade from the Queensland border to Ballina. It was renamed to Pacific Motorway from Pacific Highway in February 2013.[24][25]
The motorway was first completed in July 1985 with the opening of first stage of Tweed Heads Bypass, followed by the second stage in November 1992.[26] The most recent addition to the motorway is the Banora Point upgrade which opened in September 2012.[27]
Below is an overview of when each stage of the motorway was completed (from north to south):
- Tweed Heads Bypass from the now Tugun Bypass to Kennedy Drive: 18 July 1985
- Tweed Heads Bypass from Kennedy Drive to Minjungbal Drive: 14 November 1992
- Banora Point Upgrade: 22 September 2012
- Chinderah bypass (including Barneys Point Bridge): 29 November 1996[28]
- Yelgun to Chinderah (including Cudgen Road Tunnel): 6 August 2002[29]
- Brunswick Heads to Yelgun: 11 July 2007[30]
- Tandys Lane bypass: 19 December 2001[31]
- Ewingsdale to Tyagarah Realignment: 16 October 1998[32]
After completion of the St Helena Tunnel in 2015, the Pacific Motorway will be extended southwards along the tunnel and Ballina bypass until the exit to Bruxner Highway.[33][34]
Travel centres
The Pacific Motorway, when it was upgraded in September 2000, was the first motorway in Queensland to have service centres integrated. There are two service centres, Stapylton servicing southbound traffic, and Coomera servicing northbound traffic. The travel centres include BP and McDonalds as well as other fast-food restaurants, picnic areas and a shop. Solar panels on the roofs of the centres provide power to the facilities.
Speed cameras
There is a fixed speed camera on the Pacific Motorway at Tarragindi, facing northbound. There is another at Loganholme just after the Logan Motorway exit facing northbound.[35] A third set of speed cameras, situated on the northbound side of the motorway at the Smith Street overpass at Gaven, became active around March 2013.[36][37]
Speed limits
- Hale Street (CBD) to Herschel Street (CBD) (Riverside Expressway) – 60 km/h
- Herschel Street (CBD) to Elizabeth Street (CBD) (Riverside Expressway) – 70 km/h
- Elizabeth Street (CBD) to Vulture Street, Woolloongabba (Riverside Expressway) – 80 km/h
- Vulture Street, Woolloongabba to Greenslopes – 90 km/h
- Greenslopes to Beenleigh – 100 km/h
- Beenleigh to Gaven – 110 km/h
- Gaven to Chinderah (crossing state border) – 100 km/h
- Chinderah to Teven Interchange – Mostly 110 km/h
Major settlements
Gold Coast
Beenleigh to Coolangatta is within the City of Gold Coast. The city has a population of 500,000 and is Australia's sixth-largest city. The oceanside parts of the Gold Coast are characterised by high-rises, residential canal developments, a casino, theme parks, amusement parks and numerous tourist attractions, whilst its inland suburbs are leafy and well kept, looking much like the newer suburbia of other large Australian cities. The Gold Coast attracts tourists from around the world and is one of Australia's leading tourist destinations. Most of the city is bypassed by the Pacific Motorway (M1 Motorway) which continues from Metroad 3 at Logan City south of Brisbane. The former route of the Pacific Highway through the Gold Coast has been renamed as the Gold Coast Highway. The Gold Coast Highway was very congested until the Tugun Bypass opened in June 2008 bypassing a badly traffic snarled section near the Gold Coast Airport.
Tweed Heads
The highway crosses the Tweed River south of Banora Point. Tweed Heads is the major commercial centre of the southern part of the Gold Coast, which extends as far south as Chinderah in New South Wales. It was known as a "twin town" along with Coolangatta, Queensland before they coalesced with other towns to form the suburbia of the Gold Coast. The Tweed River valley contains the Cudgen Road Tunnel completed in 2002. The tunnel was built to avoid the visual impact of a road cutting.
Interchanges
Pacific Motorway | ||
Northbound exits | Exit number | Southbound exits |
End Motorway Road continues as Coronation Drive to Indooroopilly |
- | Northern Suburbs, Sunshine Coast Hale Street / Inner City Bypass (ICB) |
Northern Suburbs, Sunshine Coast Hale Street / Inner City Bypass (ICB) | ||
no exit | - | Skew Street |
Herschel Street | - | Southbound traffic use North Quay |
Turbot Street | - | Start Motorway |
Elizabeth Street | - | Elizabeth Street |
Margaret Street | - | Margaret Street |
Captain Cook Bridge | ||
South Brisbane Stanley Street |
2 | South Brisbane Vulture Street |
Northern Suburbs, Sunshine Coast Clem Jones Tunnel |
4 | no exit |
Greenslopes Juliette Street |
5 | Greenslopes Cornwall Street |
no exit | 8 | Tarragindi Marshall Road |
Mount Gravatt Gaza Road |
9 | no exit |
no exit | 11 | Upper Mount Gravatt Klump Road / Mains Road |
Eight Mile Plains, Upper Mount Gravatt Logan Road |
14 | Eight Mile Plains, Upper Mount Gravatt Logan Road |
End Start | 16 | End Start |
Sunshine Coast, Brisbane Airport Gateway Motorway |
no exit | |
no exit | 19 | Rochedale South, Springwood, Underwood Rochedale Road |
Springwood, Underwood Logan Road |
20 | Springwood Old Pacific Highway |
no exit | 22 | Springwood Old Pacific Highway |
Daisy Hill, Logan Central Paradise Road |
23 | Slacks Creek, Logan Central Chatswood Road |
Daisy Hill, Loganlea Winnets Road |
24 | Daisy Hill, Loganlea Loganlea Road |
Slacks Creek Nujooloo Road |
25 | no exit |
Shailer Park Old Pacific Highway |
26 | no exit |
Shailer Park, Loganholme Bryants Road |
28 | Shailer Park, Tanah Merah Bryants Road |
Loganholme, Redland Bay, Cleveland Beenleigh — Redland Bay Road |
30 | Loganholme, Redland Bay, Cleveland Beenleigh — Redland Bay Road |
Browns Plains, Ipswich, Toowoomba Logan Motorway |
31 | Browns Plains, Ipswich, Toowoomba Logan Motorway |
Beenleigh City Road |
34 | Beenleigh, Eagleby City Road |
Beenleigh, Eagleby Main Street |
35 | Beenleigh, Eagleby Main Street |
Yatala, Jacobs Well Stapylton — Jacobs Well Road |
38 | Stapylton, Jacobs Well, Stapylton Travel Centre Stapylton — Jacobs Well Road |
Yatala, Ormeau Computer Road |
41 | Yatala, Ormeau Computer Road |
Ormeau, Kingsholme, Norwell Mirambeena Drive |
45 | Ormeau, Kingsholme, Pimpama Peachey Road |
Pimpama, Willow Vale, Jacobs Well Pimpama — Jacobs Well Road |
49 | Pimpama, Willow Vale, Jacobs Well Pimpama — Jacobs Well Road |
Coomera, Upper Coomera, Coomera Travel Centre, Dreamworld Foxwell Road |
54 | Coomera, Upper Coomera, Dreamworld Foxwell Road |
Oxenford, Hope Island, Tamborine Mountain Hope Island Road Tamborine — Oxenford Road |
57 | Oxenford, Hope Island, Tamborine Mountain Hope Island Road Tamborine — Oxenford Road |
Helensvale, Oxenford, Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet'n'Wild Helensvale Road |
60 | Helensvale, Oxenford, Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet'n'Wild Helensvale Road |
Helensvale, Pacific Pines Gold Coast Highway |
62 | Helensvale, Pacific Pines Gold Coast Highway |
Southport, Pacific Pines Sea World Smith Street Motorway |
66 | Southport, Pacific Pines Sea World Smith Street Motorway |
Nerang, Ashmore, Southport Southport — Nerang Road |
69 | Nerang, Ashmore, Surfers Paradise Southport — Nerang Road |
Nerang, Broadbeach, Beaudesert, Murwillumbah Nerang — Broadbeach Road |
71 | Nerang, Broadbeach, Beaudesert, Murwillumbah Nerang — Broadbeach Road |
no exit | 71A | Nerang Pappas Way |
Nerang, Cararra, Broadbeach Nielsons Road |
73 | Nerang, Cararra, Broadbeach Nielsons Road |
Worongary, Cararra Elysium Road |
75 | Worongary, Cararra Elysium Road |
Worongary, Merrimac, Broadbeach, Tallai Gold Coast — Springbrook Road (Gooding Drive) |
77 | Worongary, Merrimac, Broadbeach, Tallai Gold Coast — Springbrook Road (Gooding Drive) |
Mudgeeraba, Robina, Springbrook Robina Parkway |
79 | Mudgeeraba, Robina Robina Parkway |
Mudgeeraba, Springbrook The Link Way |
80 | no exit |
Robina, Mudgeeraba Somerset Drive |
82 | Robina, Mudgeeraba Robina Parkway |
Burleigh Heads, Reedy Creek, Varsity Lakes Reedy Creek Road |
85 | Burleigh Heads, Reedy Creek, Varsity Lakes Reedy Creek Road |
Burleigh Heads, Reedy Creek, Southport Bermuda Street |
87 | Burleigh Heads, Reedy Creek Bermuda Street |
Burleigh Heads, Tallebudgera Tallebudgera Creek Road |
89 | Burleigh Heads, Tallebudgera Tallebudgera Creek Road |
Palm Beach, Elanora Palm Beach Avenue |
92 | Palm Beach, Elanora Palm Beach Avenue |
Palm Beach, Elanora, Currumbin K.P. McGrath Drive |
93 | Palm Beach, Elanora, Currumbin Sarawak Avenue |
Currumbin, Currumbin Valley Stewart Road |
95 | Currumbin, Tugun, Coolangatta, Gold Coast Airport Stewart Road To Gold Coast Highway |
QUEENSLAND STATE BORDER NEW SOUTH WALES | ||
End Start | End Start | |
Tunnel under airport runway | ||
Tweed Heads, New South Wales Gold Coast Highway |
Tweed Heads, Gold Coast Airport Gold Coast Highway Kennedy Drive | |
Tweed Heads, New South Wales Kennedy Drive |
no exit | |
Terranora Creek | ||
Banora Point, New South Wales Mingjunbal Drive Sexton Hill Drive |
Banora Point, New South Wales Mingjunbal Drive Sexton Hill Drive | |
Wilsons Park Tunnel | ||
Banora Point, New South Wales Sexton Hill Drive |
no exit | |
Tweed River - Barneys Point Bridge | ||
no exit | Chinderah, New South Wales Chinderah Bay Drive Fingal Road | |
Chinderah, New South Wales Waugh Street |
no exit | |
Chinderah, New South Wales Chinderah Road Tweed Coast Road |
Chinderah, New South Wales Chinderah Road Tweed Coast Road | |
Chinderah, New South Wales Tweed Valley Way |
Chinderah, New South Wales Tweed Valley Way | |
Cudgen Road Tunnel | ||
Clothiers Creek, New South Wales Clothiers Creek Road |
Clothiers Creek, New South Wales Clothiers Creek Road | |
Cudgera Creek, New South Wales Cudgera Creek Road |
Cudgera Creek, New South Wales Cudgera Creek Road | |
Billinudgel, New South Wales Tweed Valley Way Brunswick Valley Way |
Billinudgel, New South Wales Tweed Valley Way Brunswick Valley Way | |
Billinudgel, New South Wales Wilfred Street |
no exit | |
Brunswick River | ||
Brunswick Heads, New South Wales Old Pacific Highway |
Brunswick Heads, New South Wales Old Pacific Highway | |
Brunswick Heads, New South Wales Old Pacific Highway Gulgan Road |
Brunswick Heads, New South Wales Old Pacific Highway Gulgan Road | |
Brunswick Heads, New South Wales Gulgan Road |
Brunswick Heads, New South Wales Gulgan Road | |
Byron Bay, Bangalow Hinterland Way Ewingsdale Road |
Byron Bay, Bangalow Hinterland Way Ewingsdale Road | |
St Helena Tunnel | ||
Byron Bay, Bangalow Bangalow Road |
no exit | |
Lennox Head, Tintenbar Tamarind Drive Ross Lane Hinterland Way |
Lennox Head, Tintenbar Tamarind Drive Ross Lane Hinterland Way | |
Ballina Heights, Ballina Byron Gateway Airport Tamarind Drive Ballina Heights Drive |
Ballina Heights, Ballina Byron Gateway Airport Tamarind Drive Ballina Heights Drive | |
Ballina, Alstonville, Lismore Bruxner Highway River Street |
Ballina, Alstonville, Lismore Bruxner Highway River Street | |
Start Pacific Motorway from Pacific Highway |
End Pacific Motorway continues as Pacific Highway to Mayfield West, New South Wales |
Notes Exits are numbered progressively from the Brisbane CBD.
See also
- Freeways in Australia
- Freeways in New South Wales
- Freeways in Brisbane
- Freeways in Gold Coast
- M1, Queensland
References
- ↑ Pacific Motorway (M1) upgrade planning: Nerang to Tugun. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- ↑ "Track". Pacific Motorway (Brisbane to Ewingsdale). GPSies. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
- 1 2 Gregory, Helen; Dianne Mclay (2010). Building Brisbane's History: Structure, Sculptures, Stories and Secrets. Warriewood, New South Wales: Woodslane Press. pp. 8–10. ISBN 9781921606199.
- 1 2 David Bevan (2007). The Pacific Motorway Report: An investigation into the actions of the Department of Main Roads in relation to noise and safety issues concerning the Pacific Motorway (PDF). Brisbane: Queensland Ombudsman. p. xiv. ISBN 978-0-9758442-9-8. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ↑ Pacific Motorway (M1) upgrade: Springwood (south) to Daisy Hill. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- ↑ "RTA and Tweed Council traffic master plan"
- ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1965-1966
- ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1970-1971
- ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1972-1973
- ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1975-1976
- 1 2 3 Queensland Roads, December 1981
- ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1977-1978
- ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1978-1979
- ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1980-1981
- ↑ Queensland Roads, December 1982
- ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1984-1985
- 1 2 Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1985-1986
- ↑ Queensland Roads, July 1987
- ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1995-1996
- ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1996-1997
- ↑
- ↑ Nerang to Worongary completed
- ↑ Upgrade to busy section of Pacific Motorway complete
- ↑ Government Gazette of NSW 1 Feb 2013 Page 8, NSW Government, Retrieved on 6 June 2013.
- ↑ Government Gazette of NSW 1 May 2013 Page 15, NSW Government, Retrieved on 6 June 2013.
- ↑ Pacific Highway – Section: Chinderah to Tweed Heads, Ozroads. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ↑ Banora Point, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ↑ Chindera Bypass, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ↑ Yelgun to Chinderah – Road Projects, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ↑ Brunswick Heads to Yelgun – Road Projects, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ↑ Tandy's Lane – Road Projects, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ↑ Ewingsdale to Tyagarah Realignment – Road Projects, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ↑ Tintenbar to Ewingsdale, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ↑ Tintenbar to Ewingsdale Signage Plan, Roads and Maritime Services, Published March 2014, Retrieved 30 December 2014
- ↑ Speed Camera - M1 Tarragindi QLD. Holland Park West, QLD, 4121. POIDB on fixed speed cameras.
- ↑ New speed cameras installed on M1. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- ↑ "Locations of speed and red light cameras". Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
Fixed speed cameras are located: ...Pacific Motorway at Gaven, Pacific Motorway at Loganholme, Pacific Motorway at Tarragindi...