HIGHWAY LANES TAKE CUT

GOLD Coast Hwy will reduce from four lanes to two in sections through Palm Beach and Currumbin if the trams run south along the coast, a secret study has revealed.

But the Department of Transport and Main Roads doesn’t think the road restrictions will negatively affect traffic.

The confidential planning documents show the challenges of potential multimillion-dollar property resumptions on prime Gold Coast Hwy sites and a wave of protest from beachfront residents.

Burleigh MP Michael Hart said the report’s findings were ludicrous.

“It’s a miracle. It’s impossible,” he said. “If you cut lanes down you have to increase traffic.’’

A SECRET study shows the Gold Coast Hwy will reduce from four lanes to two in sections through Palm Beach and Currumbin if the trams run south along the coast.

But the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) says it is confident the road restrictions will not negatively affect traffic.

The confidential planning documents show the challenges of potential multimillion-dollar property resumptions on prime Gold Coast Hwy sites and protests from beachfront residents.

A Right to Information request obtained a scoping study used in the lead-up to the Multi-modal Corridor Study (MMCS), which the state government has kept secret due to commercial in confidence.

The scoping study regarding Burleigh Headland said light rail would lead to the widening of the highway between George St East, Burleigh Heads and the Tallebudgera Creek Bridge.

It “may include but not be limited to two (light rail) tracks between north-south traffic lanes, four traffic lanes, onroad cycle lanes, and verges and medians”.

It would be the same between Currumbin Creek bridge and Millers Dve.

“The MMCS identified the opportunity for some sections of the Gold Coast Hwy to be reduced from four to two through lanes, in parts of Palm Beach and Currumbin, without detrimental impacts on travel time and traffic capacity,” a transport spokesperson said.

“This will involve the rationalisation of intersections and relocation of some right turns to ensure traffic flow and property access is maintained without significant additional property resumptions.”

Burleigh MP Michael Hart urged the government to release the 120-page study so the future planning would become clearer. “If you cut lanes down you have to increase traffic. This is why I want to get the multi-modal study, so we can look at these things and identify the issues,” he said.

When asked by the Bulletin whether light rail might lead to less property resumptions than the initial long-term planning before the trams, a TMR spokesperson said the MMCS confirmed light rail “can generally be accommodated within the existing land requirements (under Category C planning)”.

The original intent was for a six-lane fit for light rail, but the government last year updated details for the Gold Coast Hwy to remain four lanes from Burleigh Heads to just south of Nineteenth Ave in Palm Beach.

From Nineteenth Ave to just north of Palm Beach Ave, the highway will become a two-traffic lane boulevard. The highway would return to a four-lane traffic zone through the Palm Beach Ave area before reverting back to two lanes through to the Sarawak Ave intersection. Traffic would return to four lanes through Palm Beach’s most southern region and across Currumbin Creek. Trams would most likely run along a purpose-built bridge.

Traffic would reduce to two lanes along the highway through Currumbin before returning to four lanes to Gold Coast Airport.