Design work is underway for two major upgrade projects aimed at easing congestion on the Pacific Motorway (M1) in Queensland.
Jacobs and Aecom/Arcadis and SMEC Holdings Limited will complete the first two stages of design for the first sections of the Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill and the Varsity Lakes to Tugun upgrades.
Both projects are extensive and range from 8-10km.
Federal Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population, Alan Tudge, said the significant progress was part of the Government’s $1.7 billion commitment to the M1.
This includes $500 million announced in the 2019-20 Federal Budget for Daisy Hill to Logan Motorways.
“We want to get Queenslanders home sooner and safer, which is why we are making sure the M1 is world-class,” Mr Tudge said.
Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey, said the Queensland Government’s commitment of funds had ensured vital design activities and early investigations could get underway.
In May 2018, the State Government announced $897 million for two M1 north and south upgrades at Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill and Varsity Lakes to Tugun.
“We’ve worked closely with Building Queensland to finalise the business cases for these upgrades, and we can now begin negotiations with the Australian Government to progress designs and construction,” Mr Bailey said.
The funding also meant preliminary geotechnical, survey and pavement investigations on the upgrades could continue as planned.
‘‘We have site investigations underway now in various locations on both the northern and southern upgrades,’’ Mr Bailey said.
‘‘Investing in these works will not only improve M1 congestion but also support 721 jobs over the life of the project at Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill and 837 jobs at Varsity Lakes to Tugun.
“Working on these projects requires planning and the design phases of these upgrades must be separated into sections.
“This will ensure that work rolls on as soon as the current upgrades between M1/M3 Gateway merge and Mudgeeraba to Varsity Lakes are completed by mid-2020.”
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews, said progressive global engineering organisation, SMEC Holdings Limited, will design sections of the Varsity Lakes to Tugun projects from Varsity Lakes to Burleigh and the Burleigh Interchange.
“This is the next step in getting the Gold Coast moving,” Ms Andrews said.
Two more upgrades will follow immediately after the current projects, including widening the larger section between Varsity Lakes to Tugun.
Jacobs and Aecom/Arcadis will work on sections from Sports Drive to the Gateway off-ramp and Loganlea Road to Logan Road.
‘Jacobs’ design will include widening the northbound side to five lanes up to the Gateway off-ramp while Aecom/Arcadis are busy designing upgrades to the Old Pacific Highway at Slacks Creek.
It is expected the plans for the entire upgrades will be shared with the public later in 2019, with the detailed design of these sections due to be completed soon after.
A further $16 million has been jointly committed to ongoing planning of the proposed motorway upgrade between Daisy Hill and Logan River.
