Tugun Bypass

QLDRoad
name=Tugun Bypass
sign1=Qld_M1.pngdescription1=(Pacific Motorway)
length=7
direction=North-South
from=Currumbin
to=Tweed Heads
via=TugunThe Tugun Bypass is 7.5 km long, bypassing through the suburb of Tugun on the Gold Coast, Australia. The speed limit on the Tugun bypass is 100 km/h and provides a high-speed motorway link between the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales, separating interstate vehicles from local traffic. There is a 400 metre tunnel under the extension to the Gold Coast Airport runway. The bypass connects directly to the Pacific Motorway between the Stewart Road interchange at Currumbin and the Tweed Heads Bypass north of Kennedy Drive. It has significantly relieved traffic congestion on the Gold Coast Highway corridor. The Tugun Bypass carries the M1 designation and is officially called the "Pacific Motorway". The Tugun bypass has 2 vehicle lanes in each direction with provision for widening to 3 lanes in the future.

History

FOR the more than 20 years the Gold Coast has grown by 17,000 permanent residents a year, placing enormous pressure on the city's infrastructure requirements, [cite web | year = 2007 | url = http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/05/06/10767_peter-gleeson-opinion.html | title = Highway To Hell | publisher = Goldcoast.com.au | accessdate = 2008-07-19] in Particular The Gold Coast Highway between Currumbin and Tweed Heads. Speculation of the bypass began in the 1960s when the South Coast railway line was closed.cite web | year = 2008 | url = http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2008/05/29/2259120.htm | title = Tugun bypass opening | publisher = ABC | accessdate = 2008-07-19]

It wasn't until the Beattie Government was in office at the end of last century that a firm commitment was made to the bypass. In 2003 Acting Prime Minister John Anderson and Queensland Transport Minister Steve Bredhauer announced a 50 per cent joint agreement for the project allowing the project to proceed. In May, 2004 the Queensland and New South Wales Governments finally agreed to build the Tugun bypass along the western side of the Gold Coast Airport, after New South Wales reneged on an agreement signed in 2000. The New South Wales government had previously been reluctant to go ahead with the project, citing environmental and planning reasons. And while New South Wales agreed to the plan, they refused to contribute financially to the road. In February, 2006 former Premier Peter Beattie announced the Commonwealth Government had given final approval for the road, with construction to start the following month. Mr Beattie said the New South Wales Government imposed additional approval conditions that bumped up the price tag. The tax-payer bill was now expected to exceed $540 million, and sixteen homes in New South Wales would be demolished to make way for the road.

Construction

The Pacific Link Alliance consortium won the contract to work with Main Roads to design and build the road, complete with tunnel and bridges over Hidden Valley. Work on the 350m long tunnel began in early June 2006, using a low headroom hydraulic cutting machine - one of two in the world - to meet the conditions of working so close to protected airspace.The tunnel was built with provision for a future rail line underneath. The Tugun Bypass was intended to be open to traffic on June 2 2008 but was delayed until important line marking could be carried out at either end of the new roadcite web | year = 2008 | url = http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23795533-3102,00.html | title = Newly opened Tugun bypass closed due to rain | publisher = The Courier-Mail | accessdate = 2008-07-19] . Line marking could not be performed at the expected time due to wet weather. The bypass finally opened during the afternoon of June 3, 2008.

Funding

The project is jointly funded by the Queensland Government 78% and the Australian Government 22% at a cost of $543 million. Despite over 60% of the road being within New South Wales, there is no financial contribution towards the road from the Government of New South Wales.

Border marker

On the Tugun bypass, there is a big "eye-catching and unique" Border marker that lookes like a very tall and bent metal structure that sits in the median on the border of QLD and NSW border. [cite web | year = 2007 | url = http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=54446 | title = Tugun Bypass border marker competition – and the winner is… | publisher = Queensland Government | accessdate = 2008-07-21]

The Controversy

On Sunday 18th May 2008, days from the rivalry between the two states, the New South Wales State Government hit the Queensland Government with the land tax charges for building part of the Tugun Bypass on NSW land.Premier Anna Bligh was mailed the land tax invoice of $235,607.40 from the NSW Government. She confirmed that the bill would be ignored by Queensland because they did not contribute to the $543 million project.."I don't expect the Maroons to give an inch to the New South Wales Blues this week, and I don't intend to either." as she quoted.The $543 million it cost to build the controversial bypass, the Federal Government contributed $120 million and Queensland paid the rest. About 4km of the 7km bypass is over the NSW border."Of the total expenditure, $380 million – or 70 per cent – was spent in New South Wales," Ms Bligh said.

The NSW Office of State Revenue issued the bill to the Queensland Government on May 6, asking for the payment for five years worth of land tax assessments.The NSW Chief Commissioner of State Revenue Tony Newbury said Queensland could pay in three installments of $78,535.80 over the next three months."Failure to comply with the payment options . . . will result in the imposition of interest and the instalment plan will be cancelled. Interest will be imposed on any outstanding land tax or penalty tax. The current rate is 14.37 per cent per annum calculated daily," he said.The assessments related to 16 properties in the Tweed Shire bought by the Department of Main Roads from 2001 for the bypass construction.Treasurer Andrew Fraser said at the time of the acquisition of the 16 properties, the NSW Government provided a transfer duty exemption to Queensland.

References

Further reading

* [http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=438462 Make road funding a big issue: Bligh]
* [http://www.qbr.com.au/index.cfm?storyid=33431&cp=displaystory&type=s Bligh announces open day for Tugun Bypass]
* [http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/tugun-bypass-set-for-june-opening/2007/11/20/1195321745161.html Tugun Bypass to shave 20 mins off journey]
* [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22637247-952,00.html Snail may stop $400m project]
* [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21150926-3102,00.html Tugun bypass has dream run]
* [http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/constructionmaintenance/majorconstructionprojectsregional/pacifichighwayupgrade/roadworkinfo.html Weekly road conditions]

External links

* [http://www.mainroads.qld.gov.au/web/publicCR.nsf/0/6B4C54DEFFF3A2B04A25735C00068DFE?OpenDocument Queensland Government - Tugun Bypass Project]