Major works on the first stage of the long-awaited Coomera Connector are now officially underway.
The first sod was turned today, marking the start of main construction on Stage 1 North, between Shipper Drive in Coomera and Helensvale Road in Helensvale.
The first stage will be delivered in three construction packages, with Stage 1 Central, between Helensvale Road to the Smith Street Motorway in Molendinar expected to start later this year.
Stage 1 South, between the Smith Street Motorway in Molendinar and Nerang-Broadbeach Road in Nerang is still in the design process.
The Second M1 will open progressively from 2025, with Stage 1 of the $2.16 billion project expected to remove up to 60,000 local trips a day from the congested Pacific Motorway.
It’s also estimated to support an average of 1,000 direct jobs over the life of the project.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has described it as a milestone day for the city.
“This is a critical infrastructure project for the South East as the population of the Gold Coast continues to grow,” the Premier said.
“As one of the fastest growing regions in the country, this vital road project will get Queenslanders home safer and sooner than ever before.”
A new, 1-kilometre-long Coomera River bridge crossing is a key feature of the first package, along with a four-metre-wide shared active transport path.
“As an avid cyclist, I am excited this project includes a shared path running the entire 16-kilometre length,” Transport Minister Mark Bailey said.
“With local road connections, this is a game changer for pedestrians, people with prams, bike riders and those using mobility scooters and wheelchairs, as it gives them opportunities to leave the car at home.”
It comes after the Federal Government approved the project’s Public Environment Report, giving the green light for the project to progress to major construction.
The report sets out measures to reduce and mitigate the project’s impact on the environment, including offsetting and enhancing koala habitats at nearby properties in Pimpama and Tabooba.
Locals wanting to keep up to date on the progress, and to plan journeys to minimise disruption, are urged to sign up for regular project emails by contacting CoomeraConnector@tmr.qld.gov.
