Call for action on gridlocked roads

Seven key roads for residents in the Moreton Bay Region are in the top 30 of RACQ’s latest Red Spot Congestion Survey.

In second place, down from top spot among respondents in 2021, is the Bruce Highway from Pine River Bridge to Caloundra.

The Gateway Motorway from Nudgee to the Bruce Highway at Bald Hills is fifth, one place lower than the previous biennial survey.

Gympie Rd is listed at nine, South Pine Rd 11, Samford Rd 17, Caboolture-Bribie Island Rd 18 and Linkfield Rd at 29.

The Red Spot Survey revealed four (Pacific/Bruce/Centenary/Gateway) of the top five congested roads were orbital motorways around South-East Queensland.

The Pacific Motorway from Coomera to Nerang and the interchange of the Logan/Gateway Motorways at Eight Mile Plains rose from three to top spot.

In third place was the Centenary Motorway between the Ipswich Motorway and Toowong. Bucking the trend were two Caloundra Rd roundabouts in fourth.

RACQ Head of Public Policy Dr Michael Kane said tackling congestion needs governments to act decisively on the transport network.

“Our members want our existing motorways and public transport corridors to be fixed, finished and extended, particularly in the lead up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Dr Kane said.

“Across our orbital motorway network, including the Logan Motorway, there are bottlenecks that need fixing. There are projects already underway that need finishing and there are sections that need extending to fill in missing links.

“When you look at the potential for traffic overload being pushed onto the Inner City Bypass and Pacific Motorway, and congestion on South Pine Rd, Enoggera Rd and Gympie Rd, there’s clearly a missing ‘Western Bypass’ link which would complete a full outer-orbital road network surrounding Brisbane City.”

“We could ease congestion along Enoggera Road, South Pine Road, Gympie Road, and Old Cleveland Road, with better public transport infrastructure,” Dr Kane said.

“We’re going to have 4.5 million people living in the South-East in the next decade and we need to be planning for the city we want it to be.”

Planning has started on a $2 billion upgrade to the Gateway Motorway and Bruce Highway from Bracken Ridge to North Lakes, while 11kms of road widening is underway from Caboolture to Steve Irwin Way. 

Land is also being protected for the future Bruce Highway Western Bypass from Beerburrum to Petrie.

For full RACQ Red Spot Congestion Survey click here