Rolling road closures as baton hits the home stretch
ROLLING road stoppages will occur along the Glitter Strip today( as the Queen’s Baton Relay makes it way from the Queensland-NSW border north to Surfers Paradise.
Apart from a brief sweep west to Robina and Varsity Lakes, the relay run will be along the most picturesque beach locations on the Coast, creating the first real test of Games traffic along the tourist hot stops.
Traffic congestion is expected to peak around 6.30am on the southern end at Point Danger as roads along with major car parks are closed.
After 7am the traffic challenges will be north of Kirra along Pacific Parade and Elephant Rock.
By mid-morning motorists are advised to avoid Tallebudgera and Burleigh as several promotions get underway.
But the first real test of whether residents and visitors are using public transport will be late afternoon.
Big crowds are tipped and local roads closed as swimming coach king Lawrie Lawrence is scheduled to carry the baton out of Broadbeach’s Kurrawa Park just before 5pm before it is taken to Surfers Paradise.
Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey has called on southern Coast residents to get out and cheer on the baton relay team.
“I’m excited and proud that 42 of the Gold Coast 2018 batonbearers live in our beautiful electorate of Currumbin,” she said.
Road closures for the baton relay include Point Danger, between 1-9am, along with the car park. Similarly, car parking will be closed along the Esplanade at Burleigh Heads and along Kurrawa and Hanlon St at different times of the day.
Several key strategic roads remain permanently closed including Nerang-Broabeach Rd between Chisholm Rd and Ross St around Carrara Stadium along with Parklands Dr between Village Way and Smith St at the Games Village.
Other closures include Musgrave St between Kumbari Ave and the Sphere residential estate, Gold Coast Hwy from Stevens St to Marine Pde and TE Peters Dr between the Gold Coast Hwy and Casino Dr.
Atleast eight bus services along the baton route will be disrupted.