Pacific Motorway (Brisbane–Brunswick Heads) (original) (raw)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Motorway in New South Wales and Queensland

This article is about the Pacific Motorway in Queensland and Northern New South Wales. For the Pacific Motorway between Sydney and Newcastle in New South Wales, see Pacific Motorway (Sydney–Newcastle). For the freeway in South Australia, see South Eastern Freeway.

Pacific MotorwayQueenslandNew South Wales
General information
Type Motorway
Length 158 km (98 mi)
Route number(s) M3 Brisbane CBD – Eight Mile Plains M1 Eight Mile Plains – NSW/Qld Border M1 NSW/Qld Border – Brunswick Heads
Formerroute number Queensland: Metroad 3 National Route 1 Alternate National Route 1 New South Wales: National Route 1 (1955–2013)
Major junctions
North end Inner City Bypass
Gateway Motorway Logan Motorway Gold Coast Highwayfor full list see exits.
South end Pacific HighwayBrunswick Heads
Location(s)
Major suburbs / towns Queensland: Springwood, Loganholme, Beenleigh, Nerang, Mudgeeraba, Tugun New South Wales: Tweed Heads South, Banora Point, Chinderah, Yelgun, Brunswick Heads
Highway system
Highways in Australia National HighwayFreeways in Australia Highways in Queensland Highways in New South Wales

The Pacific Motorway is a motorway in Australia between Brisbane, Queensland, and Brunswick Heads, New South Wales, through the New South Wales–Queensland border at Tweed Heads.

The motorway starts at Coronation Drive at Milton in Brisbane, The Brisbane city section of the motorway is often referred to by its former name, the Riverside Expressway. The motorway is about 150 kilometres (93 mi) long, and features eight traffic lanes with a 110 km/h (68 mph) speed limit between the M6 Logan Motorway at Loganholme and State Route 10 Smith Street Motorway at Gaven and generally six or four lanes at 100 km/h (62 mph) on other sections. The motorway passes through the major tourist region of the Gold Coast, the destination for most of the vehicular traffic from Brisbane. More than a $2 billion was spent on the motorway between 1990 and 1998, including widening the road and safety measures.

The motorway passes Gold Coast attractions such as Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet'n'Wild Water World at Oxenford, and Dreamworld in Coomera, which are among the most popular theme parks in Australia.[_citation needed_] Since 2008 the motorway connects with the Tweed Heads bypass in New South Wales.

There are also plans to progressively widen the four lane section from Nerang to Tugun to six lanes. The first section of this upgrade (Nerang to Varsity Lakes) was completed in May 2012. Planning is ongoing for the remaining section of the upgrade (Varsity Lakes to Tugun).[1]

The highest point of the motorway is 92 metres (302 ft) AHD on a cutting 130 km (81 mi) south of Brisbane (between Cudgera Creek Rd and Sleepy Hollow Rest Area).[2]

The Pacific Highway between Brisbane and the New South Wales border was originally built in the 1920s, by connecting existing dirt roads together to form one continuous route suitable for use by motor vehicles. The Albert and Nerang Rivers were bridged in 1925, replacing ferries that had been operating for many years.

In 1928, a major realignment between Helensvale and Southport was completed. While the northern section of the old road was obliterated by the construction of Gaven Way (redesignated as part of the Pacific Highway in 1963) in 1959-60, the southern section is still in use as Ashmore Road. From there the Southport-Nerang Road was used to reach Southport. The new road is now the northern section of the Gold Coast Highway, between Helensvale and Loders Creek in Labrador.

The highway was completed when bridges across the Coomera and Logan Rivers opened in 1930 and 1931 respectively. The Coomera River bridge still carries a service road, and the Logan River bridge carried highway traffic until 1986. It is now a pedestrian bridge. As part of the sealing of the highway in the 1930s, the remaining fords across the smaller watercourses were replaced by small timber bridges, all of which were removed and replaced by new concrete structures when the highway was duplicated.

Following the Second World War, years of heavy military traffic had caused the highway to be in poor condition, and in the late 1940s work was focused on restoring the highway to its pre-war state. In the early 1950s the highway from Mount Gravatt into Brisbane (now part of Logan Road) was the first section to be duplicated. This was also when traffic congestion began to become a serious problem on the highway, a problem that has plagued it ever since. To reduce this, the rest of the highway south to Helensvale was duplicated gradually, until the final section at Coomera was completed in 1971. In 1965 the Wilbur Smith plan was produced, calling for a number of freeways to be built connecting Brisbane to the outer suburbs. The highway from Woolloongabba to Springwood was to be supplemented by the South East Freeway. The first section of the freeway was opened in March 1973. It ran from the CBD south to Greenslopes. Over the next decade, the freeway was extended southwards, and the Pacific Highway at Springwood was reached in 1985.[3] The South East Freeway was designated originally as the F3, but this nomenclature was removed in 1994.

On 15 April 1996 it was announced that the Pacific Highway between the Logan Motorway interchange at Loganholme and Nerang would be upgraded to motorway standard.[4] From the Albert River at Beenleigh to Coombabah Creek at Gaven, about 28 km (17 mi), the road surface is portland cement concrete. The upgraded road was opened to the public in October 2000.[4]

In March 2006, the Queensland Government released planning for substantial changes to the section between Springwood and Daisy Hill, mainly at the entrances and exits along the section to deal with substantial traffic problems on surrounding streets and traffic backups onto the motorway. The planned upgrade led to some popular protest, mainly by people whose homes would be resumed for the project. Construction of the upgrade commenced in November 2009 and was completed in November 2012.[5]

The Tugun Bypass was completed in 2008. It has four lanes (two in each direction in 2008 and provision for six lane widening in the future). Widening from four lanes to six lanes is planned for 2025.[6]

Crossing the Logan River at Loganholme, 2017

Below is an overview of when each construction project on the highway (later motorway) was completed (from earliest to latest). Note that very little is known about work carried out prior to 1957.

Queensland Upgrade Projects

[edit]

New South Wales section

[edit]

Banora Point Upgrade on the Pacific Motorway (looking south)

Barneys Point Bridge over the Tweed River, 2017

The NSW section of the Pacific Motorway to Brunswick Heads is part of the Pacific Highway upgrade from the Queensland border to Ballina. It was renamed to Pacific Motorway from Pacific Highway in February 2013.[32][33]

The motorway's first stage was completed in July 1985 with the opening of the first stage of the Tweed Heads Bypass, followed by the second stage in November 1992.[34] Over the next 20 years, sections of the motorway progressively opened to traffic, until the final section, the Banora Point upgrade, opened in September 2012.[35] For more comprehensive information on this section of motorway, see the Ozroads website.

Below is an overview of when each stage of the motorway was completed (from south to north):

Southern terminus Northern terminus Distance Date completed Notes
km mi
Tyagarah Ewingsdale 16 October 1998 Realignment[36]
Tandys Lane bypass 19 December 2001 Bypass[37]
Yelgun Brunswick Heads 11 July 2007 Realignment[38]
Chinderah Yelgun 6 August 2002 Included the Cudgen Road Tunnel[39]
Chinderah bypass 29 November 1996 Included the Barneys Point Bridge[40]
Banora Point upgrade 22 September 2012
Minjungbal Drive (Tweed Heads South) Kennedy Drive (Tweed Heads West) 14 November 1992 Tweed Heads bypass
Kennedy Drive (Tweed Heads West) Bilinga 18 July 1985

The Pacific Motorway, when it was upgraded in September 2000, was the first motorway in Queensland to have service centres integrated. There are two service centres, Stapylton servicing southbound traffic, and Coomera servicing northbound traffic. The travel centres include fuel and fast-food restaurants, picnic areas and a shop. Solar panels on the roofs of the centres provide power to the facilities.

Southern terminus Northern terminus Speed limit Notes
km/h mph
Tyagarah Chinderah 110 68 Some variance
Chinderah Gaven 100 62 Crosses the state border
Gaven Beenleigh 110 68
Beenleigh Greenslopes 100 62
Greenslopes Vulture Street, Woolloongabba 90 56
Vulture Street, Woolloongabba Elizabeth Street (CBD) 80 50 Concurrency with the Riverside Expressway
Elizabeth Street (CBD) Herschel Street (CBD) 70 43
Herschel Street (CBD) Hale Street (CBD) 60 37

There is a fixed speed camera on the Pacific Motorway at Tarragindi, facing northbound. There is another at Loganholme just after the Logan Motorway exit facing northbound.[41] A third set of speed cameras, situated on the northbound side of the motorway at the Smith Street overpass at Gaven, became active around March 2013.[42][43]

M1 Motorway at the Helensvale North exit looking out towards Oxenford.

The southbound Pacific Motorway at the Smith Street Motorway exit at Gaven.

Yatala to Coolangatta is within the City of Gold Coast. The city has a population of 500,000 and is Australia's sixth-largest city. The oceanside parts of the Gold Coast are characterised by high-rises, residential canal developments, a casino, theme parks, amusement parks and numerous tourist attractions, whilst its inland suburbs are leafy and well kept, looking much like the newer suburbia of other large Australian cities. The Gold Coast attracts tourists from around the world and is one of Australia's leading tourist destinations. Most of the city is bypassed by the Pacific Motorway (M1 Motorway) which continues from Metroad 3 at Eight Mile Plains. The former route of the Pacific Highway through the Gold Coast has been renamed as the Gold Coast Highway. The Pacific Highway was very congested between Tugun and Bilinga until the Tugun Bypass opened in June 2008 bypassing the old highway. The bypassed section was renamed Gold Coast Highway.

The highway crosses the Tweed River south of Banora Point. Tweed Heads is the major commercial centre of the southern part of the Gold Coast, which extends as far south as Crabbes Creek in New South Wales. It was known as a "twin town" along with Coolangatta, Queensland before they coalesced with other towns to form the suburbia of the Gold Coast. The Tweed River valley contains the Cudgen Road Tunnel completed in 2002. The tunnel was built to avoid the visual impact of a road cutting.

  1. ^ a b Listing includes: terminals, declared roads, former alignments, and intersections where a turn is required to remain on the highway, and minor roads at these intersections.
  2. ^ Exits are numbered progressively from the Brisbane CBD.

KML is from Wikidata

  1. ^ Pacific Motorway (M1) upgrade planning: Nerang to Tugun Archived 12 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  2. ^ "Track". Pacific Motorway (Brisbane to Ewingsdale). GPSies. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  3. ^ Gregory, Helen; Dianne Mclay (2010). Building Brisbane's History: Structure, Sculptures, Stories and Secrets. Warriewood, New South Wales: Woodslane Press. pp. 8–10. ISBN 9781921606199.
  4. ^ a b Bevan, David (2007). The Pacific Motorway Report: An investigation into the actions of the Department of Main Roads in relation to noise and safety issues concerning the Pacific Motorway (PDF). Brisbane: Queensland Ombudsman. p. xiv. ISBN 978-0-9758442-9-8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  5. ^ Pacific Motorway (M1) upgrade: Springwood (south) to Daisy Hill Archived 16 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  6. ^ "RTA and Tweed Council traffic master plan" Archived 30 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1965–1966
  8. ^ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1970–1971
  9. ^ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1972–1973
  10. ^ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1975–1976
  11. ^ a b c Queensland Roads, December 1981
  12. ^ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1977–1978
  13. ^ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1978–1979
  14. ^ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1980–1981
  15. ^ Queensland Roads, December 1982
  16. ^ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1984–1985
  17. ^ a b Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1985–1986
  18. ^ Queensland Roads, July 1987
  19. ^ Queensland Roads, July 1988
  20. ^ Queensland Transport Annual Report 1994–95
  21. ^ [1] Archived 23 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1995-1996
  22. ^ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1996–1997
  23. ^ "M1 Drives Growth in South East". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  24. ^ [2] Archived 16 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Nerang to Worongary completed
  25. ^ [3] Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Upgrade to busy section of Pacific Motorway complete
  26. ^ [4] Archived 28 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine Gateway Merge is now complete since May 2020.
  27. ^ "Pacific Motorway Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill Upgrade (Sports Drive to Gateway Motorway upgrade)". Queensland Government. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  28. ^ "Pacific Motorway, Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill Upgrade (Pacific Highway early works upgrade)". Queensland Government. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  29. ^ "Pacific Motorway Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill Upgrade (Watland Street to Sports Drive upgrade)". Queensland Government. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  30. ^ "Pacific Motorway M1 Daisy Hill to Logan Motorway". Queensland Government. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  31. ^ "Pacific Motorway, Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill Upgrade (Rochedale bus station and park 'n' ride)". Queensland Government. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  32. ^ "Government Gazette of the state of New South Wales" (PDF). 1 February 2013. p. 8 (236). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  33. ^ "Government Gazette of the state of New South Wales" (PDF). 10 May 2013. p. 15 (1667). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 January 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  34. ^ Pacific Highway – Section: Chinderah to Tweed Heads Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Ozroads. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  35. ^ Banora Point Archived 15 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  36. ^ Ewingsdale to Tyagarah Realignment – Road Projects Archived 15 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  37. ^ Tandy's Lane – Road Projects Archived 15 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  38. ^ Brunswick Heads to Yelgun – Road Projects Archived 15 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  39. ^ Yelgun to Chinderah – Road Projects Archived 15 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  40. ^ Chindera Bypass Archived 15 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  41. ^ Speed Camera - M1 Tarragindi QLD. Holland Park West, QLD, 4121 Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. POIDB on fixed speed cameras.
  42. ^ New speed cameras installed on M1 Archived 11 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  43. ^ "Locations of speed and red light cameras". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 22 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015. Fixed speed cameras are located: ...Pacific Motorway at Gaven, Pacific Motorway at Loganholme, Pacific Motorway at Tarragindi...
  44. ^ "Pacific Mwy, Tyagarah NSW 2481, Australia to Pacific Mwy, Cobaki Lakes, NSW, Australia" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  45. ^ "Pacific Mwy, Cobaki Lakes, NSW, Australia to Riverside Expressway, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 1 April 2017.