29 November 2019 - Reimagine Brisbane Leaflet

The leaflet for the shortened Reimagine Brisbane event tomorrow. The full event has been postponed to 1 Feb 2020: https://www.jonathansri.com/reimaginebrisbane

Feel free to edit/reuse as you see fit for your events or letterbox drops. This message fits 4 times on an A4 page using Arial 11pt font and 1.2cm margins.

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Do you know about the Coomera Connector project, also known as the Second M1? In the worst case scenario, it is a $2.4B, 45km long, 6-lane motorway from Gold Coast to Brisbane, roughly parallel to M1. That means eventually 75% more cars coming to Brisbane from the south, and to Gold Coast from the north, more CO2 in times of climate emergency, more air pollution, more noise, less wildlife, less money for public transport. 85% of all trips in Gold Coast are by car. Only 5% are by public transport. Both Labor and Liberal/National parties want to push this motorway through populated Gold Coast communities without reasonable setbacks. For me, this is like building a coal power plant (air pollution) and an airport (noise) slap bang in the middle of a residential zone. How is that legal? Only until 8 Dec we can have a say in this TMR Survey: https://coomeraconnector.tmr.qld.gov.au/coomera-connector-stage-1

You can learn more and follow the opposition to the Second M1 here: https://NoSecondM1.blogspot.com and here: https://www.facebook.com/NoSecondM1

Tom Andraszek, 29.11.2019

28 November 2019 - The Foreshore Coomera Residents Against 6-Lane Motorway

The resistance is spreading: The Foreshore community in Coomera got its own facebook page against the 6-lane motorway: https://www.facebook.com/Residents-of-Foreshores-Estate-STOP-the-Coomera-Connector-108488207292781/

Can you organise your community? The Shores, The Surrounds, Monterey Keys, Coomera Waters, Lura, Camelot, River Cove, Hope Island Resort the Palladian, Seachange...

25 November 2019 - The TMR Online Survey

The TMR Online Survey is our most important tool currently to record our opposition to the Second M1. Please register and complete the survey here: https://coomeraconnector.tmr.qld.gov.au/coomera-connector-stage-1 There are options in the survey to prefer a 4-lane, not 6-lane, and a ground-level lower speed road, not a motorway. There are also two questions where you can give your reasons for opposing the Second M1, and suggesting how the money should be spent better. Check our petition for ideas: https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3203. Even if you do not live close to this planned road, imagine that your children or friends might in the future. This road is wrong on many levels and those who say it needs to be built would not want to live next to it either.

19 Nov 2019 - Gold Coast Road Network Plan 2018-2028

A member of the group pointed me to an interesting map of anticipated congestion in 2031 in the "Gold Coast Road Network Plan 2018-2028". Have a look at the map, and note:

1. The Coomera Connector is not here. It was mentioned in the document multiple times, but only in terms of joint strategic planning, without a timeframe. According to plans from 2018, it was not expected to exist yet in 2031.

2. Note the over-capacity congestion (black lines) on multiple roads that Coomera Connector would not ease in any way: Southport, Surfers and Broadbeach.

The Plan also sets these, in my opinion not ambitious enough for public transport, targets for 2031:

 • public transport to be 12% of all daily trips across the city (up from 4.7% in 2016)
 • cycling to be 6% of all daily trips across the city (up from 1.3% in 2016)
 • walking to be 8% of all daily trips across the city (at 9.2% in 2016)
 • car travel to be 74% of all daily trips across the city (down from 84.7% in 2016).
 • a five-year plan to reduce the annual numbers of deaths and serious injuries on the city’s roads by at least 30 per cent.

https://web.archive.org/web/20200301145731/https://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/documents/bf/road-network-plan.pdf

21 Sep 2019 - IRTC History

A piece of history of that transport corridor. The IRTC was not meant to be another motorway to get to Brisbane - it did not have sections in the north and south and it was off the plans between 2013-2015:
"The road, formerly known as the intra-regional transport corridor (IRTC), has long been part of the state government’s future plans but was dumped by the former Newman government in 2013 against the wishes of the Gold Coast City Council.
The project was restored in 2015 when the Palaszczuk government gazetted the Nerang to Coomera section of the road in March 2016 and the Coomera Stapylton section in May 2017."
"The origins of the Coomera Connector/IRTC are from the so-called 'Koala Tollway', which was proposed by the Goss Government in the mid-90s. This would have continued north across the Logan River, through Cornubia (roughly near West Mount Cotton Road) and Priestdale (near Ford Road) and connecting to the Gateway Motorway at Rochedale (on land which has since been developed into the Rochedale Estates).
The Goss government lost significant support due to the proposal, including every seat along the corridor (Mansfield, Springwood, Redlands, and Albert). The Goss government narrowly won the election (Labor 45, LNP 43, Ind 1), however following a by-election for Mundingburra, which the LNP won, and with the support of independent Liz Cunningham, the Coalition took power under Rob Borbidge in 1996. They then enacted their policy of widening and upgrading the existing Pacific Highway into the M1 Pacific Motorway, which opened in 2000.
The Koala tollway was considered so toxic that the corridor was abandoned north of Stapylton, however the southern portion was retained. This latest gazettal is simply an extension of that corridor."
Source: https://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=157532396

3 Oct 2019 - Safe Distance

What is a safe distance to live or work near a busy road?

https://sandiego.urbdezine.com/…/what-is-a-safe-distance-t…/

How close to the proposed Second M1 is your home?
https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-freeway-pollution/

9 Oct 2019 - What could we buy for $2.4B

What could we have instead of Second M1 for $2.4B?
1. Free public transport in all of Queensland for everyone for about 7 years.
or
2. A 12km extension of light rail from Helensvale to Pimpama with 7 stops would cost only $690m. The remaining money pays for about 5 years of free public transport in all of Queensland.
or
3. Replace all buses serving Gold Coast and Tweed Valley with new electric buses and still have enough money left for free public transport in all of Queensland for everyone for about 6 years.

Sources:
1. The Annual Report 2018/2019 of the Department of Transport and Main Roads lists "Fare revenue" on page 236 at $360m. The cost of collecting fares is not listed.
http://tmr.qld.gov.au/…/2018_…/TMR-2018-19-Annual-Report.pdf

2. Based on the cost of stage 2 of light rail
7.3km for $420m. Similar build conditions, could be more expensive because of the bridge over Coomera river, but on the other hand no high hill to cut through like in stage 2.
http://www.gclrstage2.com/

Possible light rail stops:
1. Helensvale (Ridgevale Dr)
2. Helensvale (Helensvale Rd, Helensvale State High School)
3. Helensvale (Hope Island Rd)
4. Coomera (Gold Coast City Marina, with possible access to Sports Centre and Dreamworld)
5. Coomera (Woolworths Coomera East, Stockland Foreshore)
6. Coomera (Genesis, Coomera Waters)
7. Pimpama (Yawalpah Rd)

https://www.facebook.com/LightRailToPimpama/

3. Estimated cost of an electric bus: $1m. Surfside Bus Lines serves Gold Coast and Tweed Valley in NSW and have currently 403 buses:
http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/qld.php?search=SUR

7 Nov 2019 - History - Petition Update

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition already. We are at 368 signatures now. The petition closes on Sunday.
https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/…/petit…/petition-details…

The first consultation on the Coomera Connector organised by the Transport and Main Roads Department (TMR) will be held this Saturday, 9 November, 7am–3pm, at Carrara Markets on the corner of Gooding Drive & Manchester Road, Carrara. I'm planning to be there in the morning.

The obvious question to ask the TMR is: what other solutions to the M1 congestion has the TMR analysed, how much did they cost, and how big and how permanent the expected reductions in congestion were? We know that because of induced demand, widening roads or building new ones quickly removes the initial reduction. Have the social costs of car vs active or public transport been analysed? Traffic accidents, air pollution, noise, livability of neighbourhoods?

We hear from some people that the leftover of the failed Koala Tollway, the Intra Regional Transport Corridor (IRTC) was there for decades and so this road has to be built. That's a funny argument. First of all, it was not there all the time. The Newman government removed IRTC from the SEQ Regional Plan in 2014. Many residents and businesses rightly expected it to be forgotten as the idea of building motorways through populated areas is a relic of the 1950s thinking. Second, it did not have the northern sections - they were added by the Palaszczuk government. Third, times change, and we need to analyse the situation now, not blindly follow some old plan.

There is a number of ways to ease congestion on roads. London introduced congestion charging. Some cities are removing parking spaces from city centres. Free school buses, cheap or free public transport, monthly tickets for public transport (pay once, use for free the rest of the month), no monthly plans for parking in the city (pay each time you use), flexible work times, 4 day work weeks, etc - anything that takes some cars off the road, at least at peak times, leaving it for those who have to drive or who can afford it. In case of Gold Coast and Brisbane we should ensure viable alternatives to driving exist, before introducing congestion charging or removing parking.

The share of public transport mode is only around 5% for the whole of Gold Coast, and much less in northern suburbs. About 10% of trips are on foot and by bike. 85% by car. The majority of large cities in the world are less dependant on cars. In Europe, in most car-dependant cities, like Rome, the share of trips by car is about 65%. Even a reduction from 85 cars to 65 would make wonders to congestion on M1. In least car-dependent cities, like Paris, the share is about 16%. Imagine 16 cars on roads where today there are 85. Even among the 15 biggest North American cities, most have fewer people driving to work and more taking public transport.

Also, I understand that some of you may be sceptical about the science of climate change, but for those who are concerned about it, please find the attached chart that shows that after active travel (walking and cycling) the next best mode of transport in terms of how little CO2 is emitted is rail transport, than a car with 4 passengers, than a bus, a moped, a car with an average of 1.5 passengers, and a plane.

I want to finish with what the University of Queensland Professor in Planning Neil Sipe said: "we have lost the battle if we are going to build a duplicate M1 [...] The money should be spent on rail services, better rail services, express services."

7 Nov 2019 - Detailed Maps

I am attaching a few detailed maps of communities that would be affected by the Second M1. Some would literally have the motorway behind their back fence. Starting with Helensvale, where I used to live, the residents of the following streets: Careel Close, Mildura Drive, Ridgevale Drive, Urangan Court, Gippsland Drive, Cootharaba Drive. Then the new upmarket The Surrounds in Helensvale by Villawood - here the motorway would also affect passengers waiting at the Helensvale heavy and light rail stations, the Monterey Keys Drive in Northern Helensvale, northern Parkwood and Arundel, the new Foreshore by Stockland, Genesis and Coomera Waters in Coomera... All maps are here: https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/…/15-March-2019-gazette-notice--…

Coomera: Foxwell Rd, Foreshore, Genesis, Coomera Waters

Helensvale: Mildura, The Shores

Helensvale: Monterey Keys

Helensvale: The Surrounds

Parkwood, Arundel

10 Nov 2019 - TMR Consultation

Have you been to the Transport and Main Roads (TMR) consultation in Carrara? What do you think? The next one is in Arundel Plaza on Wednesday, 9am–5pm - I will add an event for that.

Here are my impressions from the chat with the TMR employees. I may be wrong of course, and if anybody from @TMRQld would like to correct me, or provide links to studies, reports, etc, please do. I am always happy to learn and stand corrected.

……..

It seems that the goal number 1 is keeping M1 moving:
“The optimal performance of M1 is the priority for the Queensland Government.”

The unwritten assumption here is that the car traffic will be increasing. That assumption does not have to be true. Even a moderate reduction in our extremely high share of car trips, would allow the 8-lane M1 traffic to flow, and it could be done for much less money. The TMR, as experts in the area, should be driving this transformation.

Goal number 2 seems to be enabling of the population growth between Gold Coast and Logan.

Gold Coast is a car dependent city: overall 85% of trips are by car, more in the north. It has a relatively small number of residents (630 thousand), but it stretches 55 km north to south and about 10-20 km east-west. There are cows grazing near the Nerang train station in the middle of the city, while the government is pushing for clearing the land in the north populated by koalas to build a motorway and tens of thousands of single family homes on blocks as small as 250m2. A city can be both livable, walkable, and not feel either like a concrete jungle, or a suburban desert. Come on, Queensland, we can do better!

Ok, rant over... so, what did TMR consider before finalising on building Second M1?

They considered widening M1 to 10 or 12 lanes. Yup. Luckily (or not), there is not enough space to do that. They considered making M1 a Smart Motorway, which means controlled access, variable speeds, and using the shoulder as an extra lane at busy times. I think that’s it.

They are open to the public telling them if Second M1 should be a 4-lane or a 6-lane road. They are open to the public telling them if it should be an 100 km/h or 80 km/h road.
They are open to the public telling them what public transport options should be included, and if I understood correctly, they looked at extending light rail from Helensvale to Pimpama, but more likely they are just thinking about putting buses there.

They have not seriously studied the negative effects of that road. They do not know off the top of the head how effective the sound barriers are. They may buy the most affected properties.

I think the bottom line is: this road would be too close to houses, would take the nature corridor that is badly needed in our city, is expensive, and is not needed, if we plan the city and the transport better.

13 Nov 2019 - Update - TMR Survey

A quick update:
1. TMR Consultations are on-going, please visit if you can. On the weekend, I will add the remaining events.

2. TMR Online Survey is open. You need to register here: https://coomeraconnector.tmr.qld.gov.au/coomera-connector-s…

If the road has to be built, there are options in the survey to prefer a 4-lane, not 6-lane, and a ground-level lower speed road, not a motorway. There are also two questions (17 and 18) where you can give your reasons for opposing the Second M1, and suggesting how the money should be spent better. See the feedback I provided below.

3. If you want to be a bit more involved in opposing the Second M1, you can join our group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/637517416777136

4. Many affected residents still don't know what the government is planning for them. Spread the word.

5. We need a website to keep in touch with people who don't use facebook. If time allows, I will look into it on the weekend.

6. Would you like to meet face to face? Please join the group and we will coordinate the time and place.

7. I have reached out to UQ Professor in Planning Neil G Sipe - I would love to have a public forum with planning and transport experts. What do you think? Would you be interested in attending?

Tom Andraszek, 13 Nov 2019

p.s. Our petition to Qld Parliament ended with 657 signatures. It had a big jump in the last week. Thank you to everyone who signed and helped spread the word! If you provided your e-mail address while signing, you will get a reply from the government directly. I will also post it here.

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17. Do you support the Coomera Connector as a transport solution?

No

Please explain why

Would YOU like a motorway in your backyard? It is too close to thousands of homes: noise and air pollution levels would be unacceptable. It is taking us in the wrong direction: about 85% of trips in all of Gold Coast (probably 95% in northern GC) are by car, we should be investing in public transport, not another road. It takes the land that is a de-facto wildlife corridor in many areas. It will not fix congestion on M1: the induced demand will bring traffic on M1 to the same level it is now, within a few years of opening the Second M1. A better option is to invest in a public and active transport networks, so when the de-congestion pricing needs to be applied to M1 (and it will), there are viable alternatives. If you really have to build something, to accommodate population growth, extend the light rail from Helensvale to Pimpama, and build a cycle path and a max 4 lane, 50 km/h road along it. Cycling (or walking, or living) along a motorway is not fun.

18. Do you have any other comments or suggestions for how the Coomera Connector project could be improved?

Yes. If the goal is to keep M1 flowing for a long time to come (20-30 years?), spend the $20m that was allocated, on researching other options how the $2.4B can be spent: investing in public and active transport networks: fast or high speed rail, heavy rail, light rail, trackless tram, electric buses, even metro - the real one, not the Brisbane kind - the Madrid underground metro was built for only 41m euros per km in 1995-98: https://tunnelbuilder.com/metrosur/edition2pdf/page2.pdf. De-congestion could be done at almost no cost if there was a political will: https://www.fastcompany.com/.../5-lessons-from-stockholms... Be the leader for positive change. Do not implement the worst 1960s plans in 2020.