Tugun Bypass back on the agenda

Ministers from three governments, Commonwealth, NSW and Queensland are mulling over the fate of the controversial Tugun Bypass - the missing link in the national motorway network, between the NSW and Gold Coast borders, following the closure of the project's Environmental Impact Statement last month

The route of the Bypass traverses one of the most pristine wildlife areas of northern NSW - the Cobaki Creek wetlands. The unsatisfactory environmental resolution to this area, saw NSW withdraw support for the scheme at the eleventh hour, last year.

As most of the Bypass is on NSW and the Commonwealth land, approvals from their agencies are mandatory. The Commonwealth has committed funding of $120m and Queensland $240m to the project.

Nearly 60 submissions were received in response to the EIS, indicating the intense interest in the route of the road and its construction.

By way of concilliation to NSW's environmental rigour, Queensland Main Roads has put in place several mitigating measures.

In the new preliminary design, the motorway route has been realigned to avoid sensitive animal and plant habitats such as swamp orchids, long-nosed potoroos and Wallum Sedge frogs.

The bridge over Hidden Valley will now be a launched bridge to minimise ground disturbance. Exclusion fencing and underpasses will now protect native fauna and cross drains will be used to maintain groundwater flows across the proposed tunnel at the southern boundary of the Gold Coast Airport.

Most critically, Queensland Main Roads has purchased 76ha of land adjacent to the Cobaki Broadwater as a compensatory habitat package in the acquisition of land for the bypass.

The land contains a regionally significant koala population and connects with other flora and fauna habitat areas around the Cobaki wetlands.

An environmental management plan will be prepared by both Queensland Main Roads and NSW Roads and Traffic Authority for work procedures before, during and after construction.

EIS submissions are now being reviewed. If the relevant approvals are received for the Tugun Bypass, which will relieve a bottle neck at the southern end of the Gold Coast and re-route interstate traffic through to Brisbane, tenders could be called next year, with completion 2008.

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Tugun Bypass back on the agenda

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