Seymour Whyte secures Package C of M1 Varsity Lakes to Tugun upgrade

A new major milestone has been marked on the $1 billion M1 Pacific Motorway Varsity Lakes to Tugun upgrade (VL2T) on the Gold Coast with the appointment of Seymour Whyte to undertake Package C of the project. 

Package C will upgrade the third and final 5-kilometre section of the M1 Pacific Motorway between Palm Beach and Tugun. 

Seymour Whyte is also delivering Package A of the project, which was awarded back in April 2020. You can read more about the awarding of Package A here. 

“Together, these two major project wins provide long-term job security for hundreds of our employees, and their families, as well as our project partners of subcontractors and suppliers involved in the delivery of these projects. This is a great win for everyone,” Seymour Whyte General Manager – Northern Region Will MacDonald said. 

Construction on Package A commenced earlier this year, following the award of the contract, while works on Package C is anticipated to begin later this year. 

“One of the great challenges of both projects is to keep live traffic moving around the works as the upgrade progresses. Three concurrent projects along 10 kilometres of motorway with 90,000 cars and trucks driving past every day is no easy task. But we know how to do this and we’re very much up for the challenge. 

“We also thank the community for their patience as we work together to deliver this important upgrade,” Project Manager Bryan Broadfoot said. 

The billion-dollar M1 Pacific Motorway Varsity Lakes to Tugun upgrade is being delivered in three separate packages. Package A will cover the sections between Varsity Lakes to Burleigh, Package B will cover the section between Burleigh to Palm Beach and Package C covers the section between Palm Beach to Tugun. 

The entire project will include: 

• Widening 10 kiometres of the M1 from two to a minimum of three lanes in both directions, including improvements to the road alignment 
• Extending all entry and exit ramps at interchanges, and significant improvements made to Burleigh (Exit 87), Tallebudgera (Exit 89) and Palm Beach (Exit 92) 
• Widening the Tallebudgera Creek and Carrumbin Creek bridges 
• Constructing a new two-way western service road between Tallebudgera (Exit 89) and Palm Beach (Exit 92) and a new bridge over Tallebudgera Creek connecting the new western service road 
• Installing smart motorway technologies to improve travel times between Nerang and Tugun 
• Preserving the corridor for a possible future rail extension south of Varsity Lakes 
• Installing bike and pedestrian paths to improve active transport connections 

Package A is dues to be completed by mid to late 2022, while Package B and C are expected to be completed by the end of 2023. 

The M1 Pacific Motorway Varsity Lakes to Tugun upgrade will help reduce travel time, improve safety and increase capacity along this section of the M1. 

Source: Seymour Whyte; Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads