Shining light on our worst roads

Stop, start bid to fix crash hot spots

CITY leaders are finally looking to upgrade the most dangerous intersection on the Gold Coast, but they cannot say when it will happen or how much it will cost to fix it.

It is still better than what those sitting in traffic or car crashes in the Glitter Strip’s second worst crossing will get, with the area’s state MP saying millions has already been poured into the road and “people need to drive better”.

RACQ data shows the Gold Coast Highway-Paradise Island-Clifford Street intersection at Surfers Paradise is the state’s most dangerous intersection. Nine serious crashes, resulting in 20 serious casualties, occurred in the three years to June 30, 2019.

It is followed on the Gold Coast by Molendinar’s Southport-Nerang Road and Olsen Avenue intersection, which had eight crashes and 14 casualties in the same time period.

Varsity Lakes’ Scottsdale Drive-Stapley Drive-Bayswater Avenue was rated the city’s third most dangerous intersection with five crashes and eight casualties.

The Surfers Paradise intersection has been a notorious hot spot for years and after only four months in the job, new councillor Darren Taylor wants to sort it out.

He has called for a review of the intersection as part of the suburb’s ongoing masterplan.

“There are works going on in Isle of Capri now so it would be interesting to see what the reports show (in 2020),” he said.

“We’re going to review all traffic running through Surfers from Isle of Capri and Chevron Island and look at how it can be improved or become more efficient.

“There’s been an ongoing growth in traffic and once (roadworks in Isle of Capri and near The Spit) are completed it’s obviously going to increase that flow of traffic.

“We do need to review areas that haven’t been upgraded to ensure it doesn’t cause any other problems.”

Both roads making up the Molendinar intersection – Southport-Nerang Road and

Olsen Avenue – were State Government-controlled roads.

Asked about the Molendinar intersection, Southport MP Rob Molhoek said: “It’s the equivalent of a second M1.

“When you think about the volume of traffic through there it’s not surprising. It would be the second busiest road on the Gold Coast.

“People just need to drive a bit more carefully. The amount of money that’s been poured into that road in the last few years is breathtaking.

“You’ve had three-four upgrades to Olsen Avenue. We upgraded the Ross Street intersection and put lights in there a few years ago.”

The RACQ figures led to several major infrastructure upgrades in Division 11, according to area councillor Hermann Vorster.

Cr Vorster said he had used the data to upgrade the Varsity Lakes hot spot.

“Seventy-thousand dollars has been allocated to refurbish and reconfigure the traffic signals at that intersection and to create additional right-turning facilities,” he said.

“And also to improve safety for cyclists who navigate down Scottsdale Drive.”