New milestone reached on $1bn M1 Varsity Lakes-Tugun Upgrade

Queensland’s $1 billion M1 Varsity Lakes to Tugun Upgrade is another step closer to beginning construction as the first project design is released for public viewing.

Motorists now have a sneak peek at the plans for the M1 upgrade that is set to commence construction next year.

“Shovels will hit the ground next year on the project, which will be delivered in three packages.

“It’s expected this will create more than 800 jobs and be five times the size of the current M1 upgrade at Mudgeeraba,” Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said.

The design for this M1 upgrade includes the region’s first Diverging Diamond Interchange as well as additional lanes for the 10-kilometre stretch of road and upgrade works to the exits at Burleigh Heads, Tallebudgera and Palm Beach.

This billion-dollar project will also include:

• Construction of a new service road bridge over Tallebudgera Creek which connects to a new western service road (one lane each) between Palm Beach (Exit 92) and Tallebudgera (Exit 89)
• Installation of Smart Motorway technologies between Varsity lakes (Exit 85) and Tugun (Exit 95), and retrofitting these technologies between Nerang and Mudgeeraba
• Preserving the corridor for a future rail extension south of Varsity Lakes.

Vital environmental upgrades will be included in the project as well, which will comprise of a passage under the motorway to connect fauna to the Burleigh to Springbrook bioregional wildlife corridor; improved fish passage in waterways and through culverts; fauna fencing; and koala habitat and fodder tree plantings.

“This is a project five times the size of the M1 upgrade at Mudgeeraba, which will create more than 800 jobs for the city of the Gold Coast.

“The Queensland Government is building a better M1, and we’re gearing up for the future with our plans for the Coomera Connector and a future rail corridor as part of this $1 billion upgrade,” Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said.

These upgrades to the Gold Coast’s southern section of the M1 will help improve freight efficiency and will enable locals to get home sooner and safer.

“... we need to fix the M1 all the way through to Tugun, and that’s what we’re doing,” Federal Member for McPherson Karen Andrews said.

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Source: Queensland Government; Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure; myGC.com.au; Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads