$2.1 billion upgrades for highway

Plans are underway for more than $1 billion of upgrades to the Bruce Highway in this region – but a major arterial road has been shelved.

The proposals include extra lanes on the highway up to Anzac Ave, service roads, new on and off ramps and new bridges across the Pine River.

However, the Moreton Connector - championed by all three levels of government just 18 months ago - “will not progress to design and construction at this stage”.

The Connector was to be an alternative route, east of the highway, from Anzac Ave through Mango Hill and Griffin, joining Dohles Rocks Rd and then the highway.

This is all part of a wider $2.1 billion package, funded by the Federal and State Governments, to improve roads which carry 150,000 vehicles a day. That is expected to double by 2041.

The plans include:

• Additional lanes on the Bruce Highway from Dohles Rocks Rd to Anzac Ave
• New “collector-distributor roads” (service roads) from Gateway Motorway, on new bridges over the Pine River, up to Anzac Ave
• North-facing highway entry and exit ramps to be built at Dohles Rocks Rd.
• New lanes on the Gympie Arterial Rd from Strathpine Rd to the Gateway merge.
• New lanes on the Gateway Motorway from Bracken Ridge to the Pine River

Community sessions

Four Community Consultation sessions will be held next month. North Lakes and Murrumba Downs are to host two of the sessions.

This comes just days after residents in Venture Dr, Griffin, were shocked when told their new homes and land could be resumed to make way for the upgrades.

The community and political response included Mayor Peter Flannery voicing his fury at the move to resume new homes and air fears over future planning.

On ABC Radio he said: “The Moreton Connector has been pulled off the drawing board because they (State Govt) have gone and planted trees in that corridor.

'Disgusted about this'

“To me they are putting trees above people’s houses, which I think is appalling. They are very clear about how disgusted we are about this.”

In May 2020, in an announcement of the “congestion-busting road plan”, Deputy Premier Steven Miles, the Member for Murrumba and State Transport Minister Mark Bailey both back the Moreton Connector.

Twelve months later, in May 2021, elected members of all three levels of government, including the Mayor, Mr Miles and Federal Member for Dickson peter Dutton, said they were “committed to progressing the region’s key arterial road networks … including the Moreton Connector”.

However, following last week’s move to resume properties, the Mayor is now concerned at planning for Caboolture West: “The same scenario could play out there with 70,000 people and trying to put a road through it at a later date,” he said.

New lanes

The $2.1 billion project would add new lanes to Gympie Arterial Rd, from Strathpine Rd to the Gateway merge. It is currently only two lanes each way.

From Bracken Ridge Rd to Pine River, the Gateway Motorway’s main carriageway would be upgraded with additional lanes. Business case will be finished next year.

“Collector-distributor roads” (similar to service roads) would be built on both sides of the highway from the Gateway to Anzac Ave with new bridges over the Pine River.

These appear in two sections – design and construction timings are not confirmed from Dohles Rocks Rd to Anzac Ave. The business case for Gateway to Dohles Rocks Rd will be finalised in late 2023.

'Not required'

North-bound entry and south-bound exit ramps would be built on the highway. The business case is being finalised. Construction would start in 2024.

On the Moreton Connector, TMR’s website says it “would be a beneficial potential future local connection, however it is not required as part of the project with the upgrades to the Bruce Highway as proposed”.

Community Consultation sessions will be held on:

• Saturday November 12: John Oxley Reserve, Ogg Rd, Murrumba Downs, 9am-noon
• Monday November 14: Bald Hills Scout Hall, 508 Bracken Ridge Rd, Bald Hills, 4-7pm
• Saturday November 19: Sandgate Scout Hall, 134 Brighton Rd, Sandgate, 9am-noon
• Monday November 22: North Lakes Community Centre, Meeting Room 1, Level 2, 10 The Corso, North Lakes, 4-7pm.
  For further information click here