The Coomera Connector’s first stage in the north is officially open to traffic this morning, delivering a safer and faster journey for heavy vehicles travelling between Coomera and Helensvale.
The Queensland government announced the stage one north of the connector from Shipper Drive to Helensvale Road opened this morning, while construction of the central and south packages are also progressing well.
The state government says the four-lane, four-kilometre section of the Coomera Connector, to be known as the M9, is a critical piece of infrastructure for the northern Gold Coast.
This new route will provide a vital alternative route to the M1 for local commuters between Shipper Drive in Coomera and Helensvale Road in Helensvale.
The stage one north project included building interchanges at Shipper Drive and Helensvale Road, constructing an almost one kilometre bridge over the Coomera River and Saltwater Creek and laying 65,000 tonnes of asphalt on the main section of roads.
It is the first of three packages to open, with the Central package recently marking one year of construction and early works recently completed and main construction forging ahead on the South package.
Work is progressing on environmental approvals for the remaining 29km of Coomera Connector between Loganholme and Coomera, and detailed design for stage two – from Yawalpah Road in Pimpama to Shipper Drive in Coomera – will begin next year.
MORE OWNERDRIVER TRENDING STORIES:
- $6 million national transport fleet to be auctioned after recent administration
- TOTM: Gavin Turner’s birthday bulldog
- Inside magnificent Casino’s 2025 triumph
- Elphinstone founder reaches the Wall of Fame
- QMR welcomes statement DAF
Once complete, the 45km Coomera Connector is set to transform travel between Logan and the Gold Coast, reducing congestion on the busy Pacific Motorway, improving freight efficiency and supporting the region’s economic growth.
The project was jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments, with a $1.5 billion contribution from the Commonwealth and $1.9 billion contribution from the Queensland government.
Federal transport minister Catherine King says the upgrade is a win for motorists.
“Any local that’s sat on the Coomera stretch of the M1 during peak hour traffic will know what a difference this connector will make,” she says.
“The opening of the M9 will mean a safer, more reliable and smoother journey for thousands of commuters a day.
“This is not just an investment in South East Queensland’s infrastructure but in jobs and the local community.
“This new infrastructure is all about reducing travel times, and it’s arrived just in time for the Christmas break, so commuters can get home earlier to their loved ones.”
Queensland transport and main roads minister Brent Mickelberg says the Coomera Connector is one of Queensland’s largest transport projects.
“We’re proud to be working with the Australian government to deliver real benefits to Queenslanders – reducing congestion, improving travel times and supporting our growing communities,” he says.
“The Coomera Connector is a clear example of this government getting on with the job of building the infrastructure Queenslanders need now and into the future.
“Not only is this infrastructure vital to support increasing demand on our roads, but it’s also critical for our economy, with more than 1,000 jobs being supported across Stage 1 of the Coomera Connector project, and over 2.5 million working hours invested in Stage 1 North alone.”
Subscribe to the weekly Owner//Driver newsletter here.