Pacific Motorway, Exit 49, upgrade interchange

The Exit 49 interchange upgrade will deliver significant improvements in safety and traffic flow efficiency by keeping traffic moving through the improved interchange and thereby reducing queuing.

Rapid industrial and residential development in the northern Gold Coast area is adding pressure to already busy Pacific Motorway (M1) interchanges. In response to this, the department is upgrading the Pimpama Interchange (Exit 49).

The project will deliver a number of safety benefits to motorists using the M1 and the surrounding local road network, including Attenborough Boulevard, Yawalpah Road, Rifle Range Road, Waverley Drive and Bull Road. The upgrade will improve traffic flow and increase efficiency at the interchange and improve reliability of access conditions for freight movements and transit times for all motorway users.

This project will include building a new bridge across the M1 with additional lanes, removal of existing roundabouts and installation of traffic signals, relocation of on-ramps and off-ramps away from the main interchange with signalised intersections that work in coordination with the rest of the interchange.

Benefits

  • Improves safety
  • Improves network efficiency
  • Increases traffic flow
  • Reduces peak hour congestion
  • Reduces interchange queuing
  • Increases capacity

Key features

  • Removing existing roundabouts and replacing them with signalised intersections to allow traffic to flow more efficiently and safely.
  • Moving the existing on and off ramps away from the main interchange intersections to reduce conflict points and traffic queuing. Diverting some traffic away from the interchange.
  • Adding an additional bridge across the M1 for increased capacity of traffic movement.
  • Adding pedestrian and cyclist connectivity across the M1.
  • Landscaping with native plants to enhance the natural beauty of the residential area.
  • Decreasing the downhill slope away from the interchange along Rifle Range Road to reduce issues with stopping.

Funding

$110.463 million is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments on a 50:50 basis, with a developer contribution bringing the total project value to $110.768 million. Investment ID 1176064

Total investment
$110.768 million
Australian Government
$55.232 million
Queensland Government
$55.232 million

Current status

Construction started in August 2022. 

Project map

Project map

Project flythrough

Video description

This flythrough demonstrates some of the features of the planned upgrade, including:

  • removing existing roundabouts and replacing them with signalised intersections to allow traffic to flow more efficiently and safely
  • moving the existing on and off ramps away from the main interchange intersections to reduce conflict points and traffic queuing. This will divert some traffic away from the interchange
  • adding an additional bridge across the M1 for increased capacity of traffic movement
  • adding pedestrian and cyclist connectivity across the motorway.