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Pacific Motorway (Brisbane–Brunswick Heads)

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by AussieLegend (talk | contribs) at 07:38, 6 April 2016 (As discussed on the talk page, until such time as a new endpoint is gazetted, the end is still Brunswick Heads, not Ballina. Feel free to restore anything that doesn't change this). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

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).

Pacific Motorway

Queensland
–New South Wales
General information
TypeMotorway
Length158 km (98 mi)
Route number(s)
Former
route 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 Highway
for full list see exits.
South end Pacific Highway
Brunswick Heads
Location(s)
Major suburbs / towns
Highway system
See also: Pacific Highway (Australia) and Riverside Expressway

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, and since 2008 connects with the Tweed Heads bypass in New South Wales. The Brisbane city section of the motorway is often referred to by its former name, the Riverside Expressway. The motorway is approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) long, and features eight traffic lanes with a 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) speed limit between the M6 Logan Motorway and Smith Street Motorway and generally six or four lanes at 100 kilometres per hour (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, and Dreamworld, which are among the most popular theme parks in Australia.[citation needed]

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 on a cutting 130 kilometres (81 mi) south of Brisbane (between Cudgera Creek Rd and Sleepy Hollow Rest Area).[2]

History

Queensland section

The first section, opened in Brisbane in November 1972, was originally known as the Southeast Freeway.[3] It included the Riverside Expressway which was designed to alleviate traffic congestion in central Brisbane. The Southeast Freeway was connected to the Pacific Highway at Springwood in 1985.[3] The Southeast 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 intersection with the Logan Motorway and Nerang would be upgraded to motorway standard.[4] From the Albert River at Beenleigh to Coombabah Creek at Gaven, about 28 kilometres (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]

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

  • 1960 - Gaven Way. New road connecting Pacific Highway to Nerang, essentially forming the first stage of the Gold Coast bypass route, opened to traffic on 10 December 1960.
  • 1961 - Gold Coast Highway interchange. Grade-separated interchange at Gaven Way.
  • 1965 - Beenleigh bypass. First carriageway of the Beenleigh bypass opened to traffic in December 1965, followed by the second carriageway in December 1966.[7]
  • 1971 - Coomera River bridge duplication. Second bridge across Coomera River officially opened by Minister for Main Roads Ron Camm on 3 June 1971, completing four lanes between Brisbane and Helensvale.[8]
  • 1973 - Alice Street to Juliette Street. First stage of the South-East Freeway, including the Captain Cook Bridge, officially opened to traffic on 7 March 1973.[9]
  • 1976 - Riverside Expressway. New expressway between Hale Street and Alice Street, mostly constructed on bridges, officially opened on 22 July 1976.[10]
  • 1976 - Nerang to Reedy Creek. Reconstructed and realigned highway along the former rail reserve completed in December 1976.[11]
  • 1977 - Juliette Street to Marshall Road. Second stage of the South-East Freeway opened between Juliette Street and Marshall Road on 27 July 1977.[12]
  • 1979 - Nerang bypass. 2.5 km two-lane bypass of Nerang officially opened by Minister for Main Roads Russ Hinze on 6 April 1979.[13]
  • 1980 - Marshall Road to Klumpp Road. Third stage of the South-East Freeway between Marshall Road and Klumpp Road officially opened on 21 October 1980.[14]
  • 1982 - Klumpp Road to Logan Road. Fourth stage of the South-East Freeway opened between Klumpp Road and Logan Road by Queensland Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen on 13 August 1982.[15]
  • 1985 - Reedy Creek to Tugun Extension. Two-lane bypass of West Burleigh opened to traffic in three stages; West Burleigh to Palm Beach in October 1981,[11] Reedy Creek to West Burleigh in November 1983,[11] and Palm Beach to Tugun on 17 May 1985.[16]
  • 1985 - Helensvale to Nerang duplication. Four-lane duplication works completed between Gold Coast Highway and Nerang River in June 1985.[17]
  • 1985 - Tweed Heads bypass. Two-lane bypass opened by Minister for Main Roads Russ Hinze on 18 July 1985 at a total cost of A$3.6m; second carriageway completed in December 1986.[18]
  • 1985 - Logan Road to Compton Road. Fifth and final stage of the South-East Freeway officially opened by Russ Hinze on 22 November 1985.[17]
  • 1986 - Logan River bridge duplication. New concrete bridge across Logan River, duplicating the 1968 bridge, officially opened on 16 July 1986.
  • Watland Street to Winnetts Road six-laning: September 1994
  • 1996 - Winnetts Road to Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road six-laning. Widening to six lanes and a new interchange at Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road completed in December 1996.[19]
  • 1997 - Reedy Creek to Tugun duplication. Duplication to four lanes between Reedy Creek Road and Stewart Road and a southerly extension of Bermuda Street to the highway completed in June 1997.[20]
  • 2000 - Loganholme to Nerang Upgrade (Pacific Motorway Upgrade). 43 km-long six-lane upgrade of the Pacific Motorway, including various interchange and service centre upgrades as well as heralding Queensland's first alphanumeric route number, M1, officially commissioned by Premier Peter Beattie and Minister for Main Roads Steve Bredhauer on 6 October 2000 at a completed cost of A$850m.[21]
  • 2012 - Nerang to Worongary Upgrade. Six-lane widening works between Pappas Way and Gooding Drive completed on 25 May 2012.[22]
  • 2014 - Worongary to Mudgeeraba Upgrade. Six-lane widening works between Gooding Drive and Robina Town Centre Drive completed on 26 September 2014.[23]

New South Wales section

Banora Point Upgrade on the Pacific Motorway (looking south)

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.[24][25]

The motorway was first completed in July 1985 with the opening of first stage of Tweed Heads Bypass, followed by the second stage in November 1992.[26] The most recent addition to the motorway is the Banora Point upgrade which opened in September 2012.[27]

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

  • Tweed Heads Bypass from the now Tugun Bypass to Kennedy Drive: 18 July 1985
  • Tweed Heads Bypass from Kennedy Drive to Minjungbal Drive: 14 November 1992
  • Banora Point Upgrade: 22 September 2012
  • Chinderah bypass (including Barneys Point Bridge): 29 November 1996[28]
  • Yelgun to Chinderah (including Cudgen Road Tunnel): 6 August 2002[29]
  • Brunswick Heads to Yelgun: 11 July 2007[30]
  • Tandys Lane bypass: 19 December 2001[31]
  • Ewingsdale to Tyagarah Realignment: 16 October 1998[32]

After completion of the St Helena Tunnel in 2015, the Pacific Motorway will be extended southwards along the tunnel and Ballina bypass until the exit to Bruxner Highway.[33][34]

Travel centres

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 BP and McDonalds as well as other fast-food restaurants, picnic areas and a shop. Solar panels on the roofs of the centres provide power to the facilities.

Speed cameras

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.[35] 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.[36][37]

Speed limits

Major settlements

M1 Motorway as it passes through the Gold Coast

Gold Coast

Beenleigh 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 Logan City south of Brisbane. The former route of the Pacific Highway through the Gold Coast has been renamed as the Gold Coast Highway. The Gold Coast Highway was very congested until the Tugun Bypass opened in June 2008 bypassing a badly traffic snarled section near the Gold Coast Airport.

Tweed Heads

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 Chinderah 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.

Interchanges

Pacific Motorway
Northbound exits Exit number Southbound exits
End Motorway
Road continues as Coronation Drive to Indooroopilly 		- Northern Suburbs, Sunshine Coast
Hale Street / Inner City Bypass (ICB)
Northern Suburbs, Sunshine Coast
Hale Street / Inner City Bypass (ICB)
no exit - Skew Street
Herschel Street - Southbound traffic use North Quay
Turbot Street - Start Motorway
Elizabeth Street - Elizabeth Street
Margaret Street - Margaret Street
Captain Cook Bridge
South Brisbane
Stanley Street 		2 South Brisbane
Vulture Street
Northern Suburbs, Sunshine Coast
Clem Jones Tunnel 		4 no exit
Greenslopes
Juliette Street 		5 Greenslopes
Cornwall Street
no exit 8 Tarragindi
Marshall Road
Mount Gravatt
Gaza Road 		9 no exit
no exit 11 Upper Mount Gravatt
Klump Road / Mains Road
Eight Mile Plains, Upper Mount Gravatt
Logan Road 		14 Eight Mile Plains, Upper Mount Gravatt
Logan Road
End Start 16 End Start
Sunshine Coast, Brisbane Airport
Gateway Motorway 		no exit
no exit 19 Rochedale South, Springwood, Underwood
Rochedale Road
Springwood, Underwood
Logan Road 		20 Springwood
Old Pacific Highway
no exit 22 Springwood
Old Pacific Highway
Daisy Hill, Logan Central
Paradise Road 		23 Slacks Creek, Logan Central
Chatswood Road
Daisy Hill, Loganlea
Winnets Road 		24 Daisy Hill, Loganlea
Loganlea Road
Slacks Creek
Nujooloo Road 		25 no exit
Shailer Park
Old Pacific Highway 		26 no exit
Shailer Park, Loganholme
Bryants Road 		28 Shailer Park, Tanah Merah
Bryants Road
Loganholme, Redland Bay, Cleveland
Beenleigh — Redland Bay Road 		30 Loganholme, Redland Bay, Cleveland
Beenleigh — Redland Bay Road
Browns Plains, Ipswich, Toowoomba
Logan Motorway 		31 Browns Plains, Ipswich, Toowoomba
Logan Motorway
Beenleigh
City Road 		34 Beenleigh, Eagleby
City Road
Beenleigh, Eagleby
Main Street 		35 Beenleigh, Eagleby
Main Street
Yatala, Jacobs Well
Stapylton — Jacobs Well Road 		38 Stapylton, Jacobs Well, Stapylton Travel Centre
Stapylton — Jacobs Well Road
Yatala, Ormeau
Computer Road 		41 Yatala, Ormeau
Computer Road
Ormeau, Kingsholme, Norwell
Mirambeena Drive 		45 Ormeau, Kingsholme, Pimpama
Peachey Road
Pimpama, Willow Vale, Jacobs Well
Pimpama — Jacobs Well Road 		49 Pimpama, Willow Vale, Jacobs Well
Pimpama — Jacobs Well Road
Coomera, Upper Coomera, Coomera Travel Centre, Dreamworld
Foxwell Road 		54 Coomera, Upper Coomera, Dreamworld
Foxwell Road
Oxenford, Hope Island, Tamborine Mountain
Hope Island Road
Tamborine — Oxenford Road 		57 Oxenford, Hope Island, Tamborine Mountain
Hope Island Road
Tamborine — Oxenford Road
Helensvale, Oxenford, Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet'n'Wild
Helensvale Road 		60 Helensvale, Oxenford, Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet'n'Wild
Helensvale Road
Helensvale, Pacific Pines
Gold Coast Highway 		62 Helensvale, Pacific Pines
Gold Coast Highway
Southport, Pacific Pines Sea World
Smith Street Motorway 		66 Southport, Pacific Pines Sea World
Smith Street Motorway
Nerang, Ashmore, Southport
Southport — Nerang Road 		69 Nerang, Ashmore, Surfers Paradise
Southport — Nerang Road
Nerang, Broadbeach, Beaudesert, Murwillumbah
Nerang — Broadbeach Road 		71 Nerang, Broadbeach, Beaudesert, Murwillumbah
Nerang — Broadbeach Road
no exit 71A Nerang
Pappas Way
Nerang, Cararra, Broadbeach
Nielsons Road 		73 Nerang, Cararra, Broadbeach
Nielsons Road
Worongary, Cararra
Elysium Road 		75 Worongary, Cararra
Elysium Road
Worongary, Merrimac, Broadbeach, Tallai
Gold Coast — Springbrook Road (Gooding Drive) 		77 Worongary, Merrimac, Broadbeach, Tallai
Gold Coast — Springbrook Road (Gooding Drive)
Mudgeeraba, Robina, Springbrook
Robina Parkway 		79 Mudgeeraba, Robina
Robina Parkway
Mudgeeraba, Springbrook
The Link Way 		80 no exit
Robina, Mudgeeraba
Somerset Drive 		82 Robina, Mudgeeraba
Robina Parkway
Burleigh Heads, Reedy Creek, Varsity Lakes
Reedy Creek Road 		85 Burleigh Heads, Reedy Creek, Varsity Lakes
Reedy Creek Road
Burleigh Heads, Reedy Creek, Southport
Bermuda Street 		87 Burleigh Heads, Reedy Creek
Bermuda Street
Burleigh Heads, Tallebudgera
Tallebudgera Creek Road 		89 Burleigh Heads, Tallebudgera
Tallebudgera Creek Road
Palm Beach, Elanora
Palm Beach Avenue 		92 Palm Beach, Elanora
Palm Beach Avenue
Palm Beach, Elanora, Currumbin
K.P. McGrath Drive 		93 Palm Beach, Elanora, Currumbin
Sarawak Avenue
Currumbin, Currumbin Valley
Stewart Road 		95 Currumbin, Tugun, Coolangatta, Gold Coast Airport
Stewart Road
To Gold Coast Highway
QUEENSLAND
STATE BORDER
NEW SOUTH WALES
End Start End Start
Tunnel under airport runway
Tweed Heads, New South Wales
Gold Coast Highway 		Tweed Heads, Gold Coast Airport
Gold Coast Highway
Kennedy Drive
Tweed Heads, New South Wales
Kennedy Drive 		no exit
Terranora Creek
Banora Point, New South Wales
Mingjunbal Drive
Sexton Hill Drive 		Banora Point, New South Wales
Mingjunbal Drive
Sexton Hill Drive
Wilsons Park Tunnel
Banora Point, New South Wales
Sexton Hill Drive 		no exit
Tweed River - Barneys Point Bridge
no exit Chinderah, New South Wales
Chinderah Bay Drive
Fingal Road
Chinderah, New South Wales
Waugh Street 		no exit
Chinderah, New South Wales
Chinderah Road
Tweed Coast Road 		Chinderah, New South Wales
Chinderah Road
Tweed Coast Road
Chinderah, New South Wales
Tweed Valley Way 		Chinderah, New South Wales
Tweed Valley Way
Cudgen Road Tunnel
Clothiers Creek, New South Wales
Clothiers Creek Road 		Clothiers Creek, New South Wales
Clothiers Creek Road
Cudgera Creek, New South Wales
Cudgera Creek Road 		Cudgera Creek, New South Wales
Cudgera Creek Road
Billinudgel, New South Wales
Tweed Valley Way
Brunswick Valley Way 		Billinudgel, New South Wales
Tweed Valley Way
Brunswick Valley Way
Billinudgel, New South Wales
Wilfred Street 		no exit
Brunswick River
Brunswick Heads, New South Wales
Old Pacific Highway 		Brunswick Heads, New South Wales
Old Pacific Highway
Brunswick Heads, New South Wales
Old Pacific Highway
Gulgan Road 		Brunswick Heads, New South Wales
Old Pacific Highway
Gulgan Road
Brunswick Heads, New South Wales
Gulgan Road 		Brunswick Heads, New South Wales
Gulgan Road
Start Pacific Motorway
from Pacific Highway
End Pacific Motorway
continues as Pacific Highway
to Mayfield West, New South Wales

Notes Exits are numbered progressively from the Brisbane CBD.

See also

Pacific MotorwayKML file (edit • help)
Template:Attached KML/Pacific Motorway (Brisbane–Brunswick Heads)
KML is from Wikidata

References

  1. ^ Pacific Motorway (M1) upgrade planning: Nerang to Tugun. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  2. ^ "Track". Pacific Motorway (Brisbane to Ewingsdale). GPSies. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  3. ^ a b 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. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  4. ^ a b David Bevan (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. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  5. ^ Pacific Motorway (M1) upgrade: Springwood (south) to Daisy Hill. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  6. ^ "RTA and Tweed Council traffic master plan"
  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. ^ [1] Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1995-1996
  20. ^ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1996-1997
  21. ^ [2]
  22. ^ [3] Nerang to Worongary completed
  23. ^ [4] Upgrade to busy section of Pacific Motorway complete
  24. ^ Government Gazette of NSW 1 Feb 2013 Page 8, NSW Government, Retrieved on 6 June 2013.
  25. ^ Government Gazette of NSW 1 May 2013 Page 15, NSW Government, Retrieved on 6 June 2013.
  26. ^ Pacific Highway – Section: Chinderah to Tweed Heads, Ozroads. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  27. ^ Banora Point, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  28. ^ Chindera Bypass, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  29. ^ Yelgun to Chinderah – Road Projects, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  30. ^ Brunswick Heads to Yelgun – Road Projects, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  31. ^ Tandy's Lane – Road Projects, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  32. ^ Ewingsdale to Tyagarah Realignment – Road Projects, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  33. ^ Tintenbar to Ewingsdale, Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  34. ^ Tintenbar to Ewingsdale Signage Plan, Roads and Maritime Services, Published March 2014, Retrieved 30 December 2014
  35. ^ Speed Camera - M1 Tarragindi QLD. Holland Park West, QLD, 4121. POIDB on fixed speed cameras.
  36. ^ New speed cameras installed on M1. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  37. ^ "Locations of speed and red light cameras". Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 February 2015. Fixed speed cameras are located: ...Pacific Motorway at Gaven, Pacific Motorway at Loganholme, Pacific Motorway at Tarragindi...

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