SPC Sth Coolum Road Link Att 2 Previous Actions
Actions by the former Maroochy Shire Council
21 September 1995: The Engineering Services Committee Meeting of Maroochy Shire
Council (MSC) considered a report on the future road network for Coolum and
endorsed the recommendations that Council:
1.
Endorse the concept for the future road network for Coolum.
2.
Prepare documents listing the philosophy and outlining the proposal for
distribution throughout the community.
3.
Further investigate the location of the proposed Arterial link between Suncoast
Beach Drive and the South Coolum Road/Toolga Street intersection.
13 December 1995: The Engineering Services Committee Meeting considered a report
on the public consultation responses to the concept detailed in the report of 21
September 1995, and resolved that a further report be submitted to Council on access
to the Motorway in the vicinity of Suncoast Beach Drive/South Coolum Road.
During 1996 to 1998: MSC undertook the development of a traffic study and Local Area
Plan for the North Shore area including Coolum which concluded, along with various
other outcomes that:
1.
There were limited east–west connections between David Low Way and the
Sunshine Motorway.
2.
There was a lack of supplementary north–south arterial/sub-arterial links in the
local network.
3.
In the longer term, traffic benefits would be achieved by the extension of South
Coolum Road to Suncoast Beach Drive with consolidation of access points.
During 1999: MSC issued the draft of the new planning scheme “Maroochy Plan 2000”
for public comment. The draft included a road hierarchy map which indicated the future
investigation of road links for South Coolum Road to Suncoast Beach Drive, and
Suncoast Beach Drive to the Motorway. One concern raised during consultation was
the volume of traffic using Tanah and Toolga Streets to provide access between South
Coolum Road and David Low Way.
During 2003 and 2004: MSC undertook a study that sought to develop, in consultation
with the community, an Integrated Land Use and Transport Plan (ILTP) for Coolum. It
was established early in the study process that the community was generally in
agreement with the vision and land use planning detailed in Maroochy Plan 2000 which
noted that Coolum should remain a small Coastal Village with a focus on its seaside
location. The study team identified the following areas of community interest:
•
Getting to Coolum - about improving access to the Sunshine Motorway and
improving traffic and pedestrian access and safety around the Coolum state
school.
•
Getting around Coolum - about improving the way that people travelled around
Coolum by walking and cycling, improvement to public transport services,
concerns about traffic speed on the primary street network, and traffic safety at a
number of nominated intersections.
•
The village - about pedestrian movement across the David Low Way, a desire for
a pedestrian friendly low speed traffic precinct, improved access to the David Low
Way, more parking, and a beautified streetscape in keeping with a relaxed
seaside village atmosphere. In the Coolum village, there was a general desire to
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improve accessibility to the foreshore and to improve the attractiveness of the
foreshore areas both visually and functionally to enhance the focus of the village
on its seaside location.
•
Traffic hot spots - about traffic and pedestrian safety issues on the road and
street network in the study area.
•
The study identified and developed a number of planning options to address the
community interests and used a Public Participation Program to include the
community in the assessment process. This lead to the selection of a preferred
option which provided the greatest benefit to the Coolum Community and aligned
closely with their values and aspirations. The option recommended by the ILTP
Study provided for a number of outcomes including:
•
The connection of South Coolum Road to Suncoast Beach Drive, and the
connection of Suncoast Beach Drive to the Sunshine Motorway. These links were
to be given a high priority as they were considered important for the future
strategic linkages in the road network.
During and subsequent to the Coolum ILTP Study, Council meetings and
correspondence with the Department of Main Roads (DMR) sought to confirm DMR
programming and funding commitments to this and various other related projects, and
to establish a series of cost sharing arrangements for projects that affected the State
controlled road network.
DMR indicated it intended to work closely with Council to achieve the benefits identified
in the Coolum ILTP. However, they were unable to make any decision on project or
funding commitments until they had completed various road corridor planning studies in
the Sunshine Coast region (refer to the section on DMR below).
22 June 2005: Council adopted the Coolum Integrated Land Use and Transport Study.
The community, key stakeholders including relevant State Government Agencies and
Members of Parliament, were subsequently advised of Council’s decision.
28 November 2007: Council received a report on the status of various transportation
projects including the Coolum ILTP, and endorsed the following resolution amongst
others:
•
The list of interim projects outlined in the report be submitted for consideration in
future Budget discussions with the highest priority given to commencing road
corridor investigations for the Suncoast Beach Drive to South Coolum Rd link and
the extension of Suncoast Beach Drive to connect to West Coolum Road.
Sunshine Motorway Study by the Department of Main Roads
In late 2006, the Queensland Government commenced a planning study to investigate
how the Sunshine Motorway and Emu Mountain Road, from the Pacific Paradise
interchange to Eumundi-Noosa Road, should be upgraded in the future to provide “a
responsible long-term traffic solution for one of the state's fastest growing regions”. The
Study brief included the development of suitable future transport corridors for the
Sunshine Motorway and Emu Mountain Road, and the investigation of suitable options
for intersections along the route, particularly at Mount Coolum, Coolum Beach, Coolum
Ridges, Peregian Springs and Peregian Beach.
In July 2008, the Department of Main Roads (DMR) presented a proposed planning
option to the Sunshine Coast community using public displays, media releases and
advertisements, a study newsletter, and meetings with directly impacted property
owners. The option indicated the provision of a full diamond interchange at West
Coolum Road (Suncoast Beach Drive) and an extension of South Coolum Road to link
with the interchange. MSC subsequently wrote to DMR to indicate a preference for the
form of interchange proposed at West Coolum Road (a full diamond), and for South
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Coolum Road to link directly to an extension of Suncoast Beach Drive rather than via
Mountain View Drive.
On 16 November 2009, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (formerly DMR)
wrote to Sunshine Coast Regional Council to advise:
1.
DTMR had completed concept planning for future upgrading of the Sunshine
Motorway and Emu Mountain Road between Pacific Paradise and EumundiNoosa Road.
2.
Key features of the planning option presented to the community were:
i.
Duplication of the existing roads from two to four lanes, with provision
for six lanes in the future, if required;
ii.
Planning for interchanges at Yandina-Coolum Road and Peregian
Springs Drive and Murdering Creek Road;
iii.
Possible future interchanges at West Coolum Road and Coolum
Ridges;
iv.
Provision for cyclists and pedestrians.
SEQIPP 2009-2026 contains a project to upgrade the Sunshine Motorway from Pacific
Paradise to Doonan in the period 2019-20 to 2025-26. The department’s Roads
Implementation Program 2009-10 to 2013-14 does not include any funding for design
and construction of this project. Funding will be considered as part of future reviews of
the program.
This correspondence provides no commitment by the Queensland Government at this
time to either an implementation programme or funding for the works identified by the
Study.
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