TIME TRAVEL WILL FIX M1
Congestion during the Commonwealth Games gives a glimpse of a future without road upgrades
THIS week a report on road maps revealed there is gridlock around Games venues. For GOLDOC, the phones were ringing hot. But there is a good news story to be told here.
Firstly, let’s get all the bad news out there. The data for the mapping does not include the 150,000 extra vehicles expected on the Pacific Motorway in April next year.
So for those sections of the maps highlighted as being “at capacity” in red ink, they will be a black line and join the others at gridlock.
Looking back at the maps, it will cover much of the M1 from Pimpama south to the border.
This story couldn’t get worse, could it? Well, it all depends on your view about the road blockage.
When the Coast won the Games bid in November 2011, GOLDOC was never going to fix the M1 before the event. Nor was that its role. But by hosting this city’s biggest ever party, the Games organisers gifted us a rare opportunity. We can future-proof the city’s transport blockages.
What happens on the ground if we don’t? Some schools are already being told not to organise excursions in the month before the Games.
Your columnist has spoken to several tradies working around the northern M1. They expect to reschedule after the Games if the traffic stops.
Lt’s do some quick maths. The Coast’s population of 550,000 will reach 860,000 by 2036. By failing to upgrade roads, rail and trams, the city in a decade or two will resemble Games time.
What brings hope are the fresh young political faces on the Coast. Labor’s Meaghan Scanlon has won in Gaven and the LNP’s Sam O’Connor was elected in Bonney. Returning to those road maps, black lines are around the M1 in Ms Scanlon’s electorate and on connecting roads in Mr O’Connor’s seat.
LNP MPs Michael Crandon and Mark Boothman have tabled petitions calling for road upgrades. Ministers responded by blaming the Federal Government and the council.
Acting Transport Minister Steven Miles admitted the department had “conditioned the developer of land at Yawalpah Rd for a bulky goods and home maker centre” to improve a roundabout.
So fixing the Pimpama exit – a map for 2031 shows a black line – depends on a developer coughing up funds.
The Games has gifted us a DeLorean of sorts. Great Scott! We can experience time travel and maybe we can get back and fix the future.