Sign brings traffic to halt
A NEW structure rising on the M1 at the Gold Coast’s northern extreme has been bringing traffic to a halt as rubberneckers take a peek at the $2 million feature.
Gold Coast City Council workers have begun installing the illuminated signs which will create a ‘gateway’ statement for the city ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
But the spectacle has caused a distraction with motorists today complaining “rubbernecking” drivers have slowed as they pass, causing kilometres of gridlock on the already busy road.
Funded last year by the council, the 11m tall signs were created in the hopes of making a city icon on par with the Hollywood and Welcome to Las Vegas signs.
But councillors today have expressed concern at the distraction the signs are creating on the heavily congested motorway between the north and south-bound lanes of the M1, just south of the Albert River at Staplyton.
Deputy Mayor and area councillor Donna Gates urged motorists to focus on driving rather than the Commonwealth Games legacy item.
“I urge motorists to keep their eyes on the road at all times,” she said.
“It is a Commonwealth Games legacy which came about through funding provided by the State Government.
“I would hate to think it was a distraction for motorists because the entire intent was for it to be a legacy feature of the Games.”
The sign is expected to be finished and switched on within weeks.
The southern gateway sign has already been installed on the Gold Coast Highway near Gold Coast Airport.
The design was created by New York-based LOT-EK artists Ada Tolla and Giuseppe Lignano who named the project HI-LIGHTS.
Firebrand veteran councillor Dawn Crichlow urged motorists not to slow down on the M1 but said it would likely only be a distraction for a short time.
“This happens all the time, you put something different up and people notice it straight away,” she said.
“The novelty will soon wear off.”
Some ratepayers have criticised the cost of the signs, saying the fund would have been better used in funding other projects.
The $2 million spent on the signs would have also covered the cost of council’s necessary infrastructure for the mooted cruise ship, fund its contribution to a dive site off the Spit or fund up to 35 graduate nurses.
Southport resident Jiselle Koen works in Coolangatta and drives past the southern gateway sign twice a day.
She said the sign’s location was poor and did not allow drivers to look at it for more than a split second.
I noticed it for the first time one night after late trading but I don’t think it is a good spot for it to be in. It should be on a different angle or in a different spot entirely,” she said.
“You get maybe three seconds to look at it properly and that’s if the lights are on but given it’s a high traffic area you may not even get to look at it properly.”