Queensland’s cries for more money to upgrade the state’s busiest highway are being heard.
The Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher met with Queensland Minister for Main Roads Mark Bailey today, in a bid to discuss the progress on the M1 upgrades.
An expression of interest process – for the design and construction upgrade to the Pacific Motorway M1, M3 and Gateway Merge at Eight Mile Plains – is now set to commence.
The task will be delivered under the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, and re-evaluate construction costs.
Logan City Council Mayor Luke Smith welcomed the call for an expression of interest and said today’s meeting was a great start on a “long-overdue project”.
“We’re one of the fastest growing regions in Australia,” he said.
“Congestion (on the M1) is delaying commuters every day, (and) it’s holding up economic development and employment growth.”
The upgrade, which will cost a total of $430 million, will see a new four-lane bridge built over the Pacific Motorway, a realignment of Underwood Road between Logan Road and School Road, and the widening of five-kilometers of road between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes.