ON ROAD TO RUIN IF PLANNING IS JUST A ‘VIBE’
Major traffic congestion will continue to clog up the M1 if our future traffic and road planning is not handled judiciously and with extreme caution
AT A time when the state government is under scrutiny over its integrity credentials, a decision by Deputy Premier Steven Miles to provide traffic concessions to a major developer must surely come under the planning category known as “the vibe’’.
The impact on residents using the busy Nerang thoroughfare, Hinkler Drive, are onerous at best, and disastrous at worst.
If you use exits 73-75-77 on the Pacific Motorway, brace yourself for some pretty messy traffic snarls over the next few years.
Traffic congestion is one of those intangible lifestyle issues that we entrust our government and council planners and engineers to get right. Mostly, they do. But when they get something wrong, it can have long-lasting and frustrating repercussions for motorists.
The Gold Coast is a great place to live. But let’s be clear – the traffic is a worry, especially during peak periods.
New developments such as the 3500-lot Skyridge project near Nerang are welcome and timely, especially with housing affordability so challenging and the Gold Coast is simply running out of land.
But we owe it to the residents of those areas, particularly people living in Nerang, Tallai and Worongary, to get the traffic issues right.
Hinkler Drive, for example, will be home to 28,000 cars a day by 2026.
On December 31 last year, Mr Miles signed off on an increase in the low density precinct at housing estate, Skyridge, by an additional 493 lots.
It followed a meeting between Mr Miles’ senior policy people and representatives of Anacta, disclosed paid lobbyists of Skyridge (Pacific View Farms (Qld) Pty Ltd).
According to the public record, they discussed a matter that is described as “commercial in confidence” on December 22, 2021.
Anacta is run by former Labor state directors Cameron Milner and Evan Moorhead. They have a spectacular record of success with government-related jobs.
Now, we will never know what was discussed at that meeting because once it is stamped “commercial in confidence’’ that means it remains secret.
But it is a fact that just nine days later the Deputy Premier signed off on an approval to allow the applicants to have an additional 493 lots approved “as of right”.
Property valuers say that change in use will result in an extra $100m in sales. It is certain a new high school was one of the topics discussed, as were traffic and road requirements.
According to traffic engineers concerned at the decision, the current required external road contribution of $1500 per lot goes nowhere
near what will be required to ameliorate the Skyridge impact. Hinkler Drive, for example, will be home to 28,000 cars a day by 2026.
According to council traffic reports, the Nerang South Interchange will require some level of upgrading even without the Skyridge project (Pacific Ridge Estate) before 2026 should exit 75 be removed to allow the 8-laning of the M1.
Because of the demand, it is reasonable to assume that the estate will be fully sold and developed within the next 10 years.
Based on the traffic reports tabled to council, it can clearly be demonstrated that significant impacts will be incurred on the State road network at intersections 73, 75 and 77.
As the State has decided to locate the new heavy rail station at Gooding Drive, Worongary, it is reasonable to assume that a number of Skyridge residents (and other local residents) would want to access that station to catch the train.
This will increase the need to upgrade Hinkler Drive and Interchanges 75 and 77 as local commuter access coming on and off the M1 within two kilometres is not ideal, nor desired.
In a nutshell, this has the potential to create major traffic snarls unless handled judiciously and with extreme caution.
At a time when integrity has become a massive issue for the Palaszczuk government, serious questions should be raised on what’s going on with our future traffic and road planning.
If it’s just the vibe, Mr Miles’ favourite saying, we’re in strife.