Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 (Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta)
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June 2021 Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 (Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta) Have your say • Upgrades to bridge crossings over Tallebudgera and Currumbin Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 creeks including new active transport crossings. Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 will deliver a 13km extension south • A land bridge to help protect wildlife between Burleigh Head of Light Rail Stage 3, linking Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta, National Park and Burleigh Ridge Park. via the Gold Coast Airport. It will provide nine stations • Active transport options including developing a beachfront between Burleigh Heads and Tugun and further stations will Oceanway path. be investigated between Tugun and Coolangatta as part of the current Multi-modal Corridor Study. Tugun to Coolangatta A future southern extension of the light rail will service important The Queensland Government has committed $1.5 million to cultural and urban attractions including the Burleigh Heads undertake the Gold Coast Highway (Tugun to Coolangatta) Multi- Village Centre, Palm Beach Village Centre, Currumbin Wildlife modal Corridor Study. The study will build on the work completed Sanctuary, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast Airport and for the Burleigh Heads to Tugun section and will consider all Coolangatta shopping and business precinct. transport modes to determine the preferred function for the next 20 years. Planning for the next stage A further $5 million, jointly funded by Queensland Government and City of Gold Coast has been committed to undertake a Burleigh Heads to Tugun Preliminary Business Case for Light Rail Stage 4 from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta, via the Gold Coast Airport. In 2020, the Gold Coast Highway Multi-modal Corridor Study (Burleigh Heads to Tugun) identified a number of opportunities Community engagement along the corridor including: • Transforming the Gold Coast Highway between Burleigh Heads Community engagement will take place across a 12-month period and Tugun into a high amenity community boulevard. to coincide with the progress of the planning studies and focus on the sections; Burleigh Heads to Tugun (July – September • Improving the intersection of Palm Beach Avenue, Gold Coast Highway and Cypress Terrace through transformation into a 2021), Tugun to Gold Coast Airport and Gold Coast Airport to pedestrian friendly precinct with the opportunity for street front Coolangatta (early 2022). dining, shopping and urban renewal. Artist’s impression: Light Rail at Burleigh Head National Park. SCR70 BURLEIGH HEADS Burleigh Heads station Urban design Environment and There is an opportunity to transform the Cultural heritage Gold Coast Highway between Burleigh Burleigh Burleigh Head Heads and Tugun into a high amenity The existing Burleigh Head National Park Ridge Park National Park community boulevard while ensuring will be preserved and access improved heritage protection. to the southern entrance via active travel Tallebudgera Creek station paths, light rail, bus and car. Independent community market research Tallebudgera Leisure Centre in 2020 showed overall support for the To help protect wildlife and to improve outcome of the Gold Coast Highway active transport and bushwalking Twenty-Eighth Avenue station (Burleigh Heads to Tugun) Multi-modal connectivity between Burleigh Head d on Roa Corridor Study to help improve the liveability National Park and Burleigh Ridge Park, an Burle necti Gold Coast igh Con Highway Completed and connectivity in and around the local environmental land bridge for fauna could Tallebudgera Creek Corridor Study communities. 68% of residents and business be provided. This would protect biodiversity operators indicated a level of support. by reconnecting ecological corridors. Opportunities to improve fauna connectivity There are opportunities for more sections of at other locations such as Currumbin and Nineteenth Avenue station boulevard to be implemented along the coast. Tugun will be explored during project planning stages. During this round of consultation, you can share your thoughts on urban design The Department of Transport and Main Nineteenth Avenue Eleventh Avenue station elements such as creating a pedestrian Roads (TMR) will work closely with the Pacifi c Motorway (M1) friendly precinct, active transport options, Department of Environment and Science PALM BEACH tram station access arrangements and and Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre at environmental aspects of the project. Burleigh Heads to maintain this important Palm Beach Avenue station cultural centre in its current location. Varsity Lakes to Tugun Palm Beach Active transport and Heavy rail extension Avenue The M1 Varsity Lakes to Tugun (VL2T) upgrade project, which widens the M1 to a Oceanway Delivering a city-wide, integrated, high-frequency public Thrower Drive station minimum of three lanes in both directions, transport network requires multiple forms of transport. This is currently under construction. The project A key objective of Gold Coast Light helps to keep the Gold Coast moving safely and efficiently. includes a new two-way service road on Rail Stage 4 is to connect and provide communities with an attractive alternative Preserving the heavy rail corridor for a future southern extension Currumbin station the western side of the M1 between the will ensure longer regional trips are planned and catered for in Palm Beach interchange and Tallebudgera to car travel as well as improved footpaths Currumbin years to come. The heavy rail corridor can only accommodate one Thrower Drive interchange and new service roads through and bikeways. The following opportunities Wildlife form of rail. a widened M1 overpass at Nineteenth will be considered during the Stage 4 Sanctuary Avenue. planning phase: CURRUMBIN • Providing footpaths and bikeways built This improved connectively for northern Palm along and adjacent to the corridor Beach to the M1 will significantly improve providing safer options to travel and more access to and from Palm Beach, drawing reason to leave the car at home. Tugun station LEGEND Currumbin Creek some traffic away from the Gold Coast • Providing easily accessible and longer- Highway and on to the M1. journey pathways increasing the amount Light Rail Stage 3 Toolona Street of people using active transport to travel to and from essential services as well as TUGUN cultural and urban attractions. Light Rail Stage 4 John Flynn Boyd Street station • Extending the Oceanway pathway to Completed Corridor Study Currumbin Creek Road Hospital Current link our coastal suburbs through active (Burleigh Heads to Tugun) Corridor Study transport and celebrate the iconic beauty Boyd Street of our Gold Coast beaches. Light Rail Stage 4 • Providing dedicated bridges for bikes Current Corridor Study and pedestrians across Tallebudgera and (Tugun to Coolangatta) Currumbin creeks. Key roads Gold Coast Airport Key M1 upgrade features Upgraded overpass at Nineteenth QLD Avenue, new M1 service road between NSW Tallebudgera and KP McGrath Drive, Southern and new off -ramp to Sarawak Avenue Possible Cross COOLANGATTA Tweed Heads University Future heavy rail extension QLD–NSW Border Note: Station names are not fi nal and are working titles only Project timeline Since the Gold Coast Light Rail started operations in 2014, it The Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 Preliminary Business Case has provided more than 55 million passengers (as at May 2021) is currently underway. It comprises of the first two stages of with an alternative way to move around this growing city. High- Business Case Development: capacity public transport such as light rail allows the Gold Coast • Stage 1: Problem Identification and Prioritisation, to respond to population growth and preserve the attractiveness and liveability of the southern Gold Coast. • Stage 2: Initiative Identification and Options Development. The light rail system is designed to be delivered in stages. Stage 3 It is anticipated the Preliminary Business Case will be completed will expand the tram network to 27km from Helensvale to Burleigh by mid-2022 and will align with the completion of the Gold Coast Heads, connecting communities to jobs, businesses, hospitals, Highway (Tugun to Coolangatta) Multi-modal Corridor Study. education and coastal precincts. As the network expands and A decision on future Queensland Government funding for the patronage increases, light rail will continue to help reduce delivery of Stage 4 is dependent on the completion of a Detailed demand on local roads and improve the liveability and urban Business Case and funding from the Australian Government and amenity of the city. City of Gold Coast. 2020 2023 Community Potential Gold Coast Gold Coast consultation on reference Highway Highway (Tugun to Burleigh Heads to Potential design and (Burleigh Community Coolangatta) Multi- Tugun – mid-2021 approval of business case Heads to Tugun) consultation modal Corridor Study and Tugun to Gold Preliminary development Multi-modal mid-2020 and Preliminary Coast Airport and Business Case (subject to Corridor Study Business Case Gold Coast Airport late 2022 funding) 2020 development to Coolangatta 2023 2021–mid-2022 early 2022 Get involved and have your say The Department of Transport and Main Roads will be consulting on the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 planning from mid-2021 to mid-2022. We would like to hear your views and find out what is important to you. You are invited to participate in our community consultation program to find out more about planning for the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 and provide