By Marshall Hall
What’s Happening
Gold Coast commuters scored an early Christmas present with the first stretch of the long-awaited Coomera Connector officially open as of this week, connecting Coomera and Helensvale with a slick new four-lane road.
Why It Matters
This fresh link promises to ease M1 congestion and shorten travel times, especially during the peak-hour pain Gold Coasters know too well.
By the Numbers
- M9 is what they’re calling the new road
- 4km of new road is now open, part of a 45km overall project
- Without these new infrastructure projects, a standard peak-hour trip from Coomera to Southport would jump from around 23 minutes to an hour.
- The project is jointly funded to the tune of $3.4 billion by the state and federal governments.
- The Government is pushing ahead with gaining the environmental approvals for the 29km of the corridor between Loganholme and Coomera
Local Impact
Less M1 bottleneck with the M9 will hopefully mean faster commutes, better connectivity and fewer delays for northern GC drivers heading into the holiday crush.
What The People Say
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King said the upgrade was a win for motorists.
“Any local that’s sat on the Coomera stretch of the M1 during peak hour traffic will know what a difference this connector will make,” Ms King said.
“The opening of the M9 will mean a safer, more reliable and smoother journey for thousands of commuters a day.
Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said the Coomera Connector was one of Queensland’s largest transport projects.
“We’re proud to be working with the Australian Government to deliver real benefits to Queenslanders – reducing congestion, improving travel times, and supporting our growing communities,” Mr Mickelberg said.
What To Look For Next
Construction of the two other sections of the first stage is reportedly progressing well, while design and site investigations for the second stage are underway.
And, future commutes that are hopefully a lot shorter than a trip down the M1
