[TOCC]

Tugan Bypass was opened yesterday by Anna Bligh, it was supposed to open today to traffic but because of the rain they couldnt complete the final road markings so it has being delayed.

http://tools.goldcoast.com.au/admin/gallery_images/2008/06/01/47395.jpg[/img


And thanks to rain :

[IMG]http://www.goldcoast.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2008/06/02/bypass0206.jpg

 

[TOCC]

For those who dont know where this is, its the final piece of the puzzle for the Pacific Highway between the NSW border and Brisbane. The tunnel runs underneath the Gold Coast airport runway.

the 25m tall red thing is the border between NSW and QLD.

 

[Cell.Phone]

awesome! what a fantastic new road.

 

[trentthomson]

The road looks great but the signage is shithouse on the Queensland side (typical). NSW side is excellent as usual, nicely designed signage mounted above traffic signals marking the onramps and clear, logical diagrammatic signs for freeway exits. The Queensland stuff is all wrong (missing route shields on a couple of signs for starters), ugly and very poorly positioned (i.e. behind a traffic light pole)!

I would like to see this:

instead of this:

at the Stewart Rd interchange...

Not only is the first example way simple and easier to comprehend, but there are fewer roadside hazards for cars to hit. There's just one pole holding everything instead of about 5 or 6.

2 things:
Why is the border marker shaped like a V? Is it for the benefit of homesick Victorians who need reminding of which state they used to live in? Or is it supposed to mean Queensland v NSW?

And why the hell did they spend all that money on such a complicated tunnel safety system. This is only a minor tunnel. Brisbane's Nundah Bypass and Inner City Bypass tunnels are significantly longer and arguably more important than the Tugun tunnel, and yet they don't have any warning systems whatsoever. Is it because of the Airport runway?

Trent

 

[crazyknightsfan]

Other than the lack of a road name and the dodgy focal point of Grafton (replace it with Sydney), I agree with you Trent.

 

[jobeli]

Anyone got any idea what the time saving will be. I know it'll save heaps.

I hated that section before. Sooooo slow.

 

[muntted]

15min +

 

[trentthomson]

Other than the lack of a road name and the dodgy focal point of Grafton (replace it with Sydney), I agree with you Trent.

On second thoughts I agree with Sydney as the remote focal. However I don't agree about the inclusion of the road name. Road names are irrelevant on freeways -- it's not like you'll be looking for a house address or something (which is all road names are good for)!

 

[RUM]

trent, what do you do for a living?

 

[Fabian]

Disappointing that noone from the NSW government bothered to show up. Love the entrance to the tunnel though

 

[SEQ92]

Why is it only 2 lanes?? Wouldn't 3 lanes be more beneficial?

 

[BSD]

It has changed to conditions of the bypass. Looked so good so far. And the weather should be fine today and likely to open!!!!

 

[BrizzyChris]

Why is it only 2 lanes?? Wouldn't 3 lanes be more beneficial?

It's 4 lanes.

 

[trentthomson]

Disappointing that noone from the NSW government bothered to show up. Love the entrance to the tunnel though

There's a reason for that -- the NSW government contributed nothing to the project...

trent, what do you do for a living?

Finance

 

[crazyknightsfan]

On second thoughts I agree with Sydney as the remote focal. However I don't agree about the inclusion of the road name. Road names are irrelevant on freeways -- it's not like you'll be looking for a house address or something (which is all road names are good for)!

I tend to agree with this (and the RTA seemed to think so too as it only signs "Freeway" or "Motorway" with some exceptions) but in interests of consistency I mentioned the road name patch.

 

[gappa]

Why would anyone want to bypass Tugan?

 

[crazyknightsfan]

Exactly, it's no Ballina.

 

[trentthomson]

 

[Macca-GC]

Why is it only 2 lanes?? Wouldn't 3 lanes be more beneficial?

Well not really. It's not going to be carrying that many cars, but i remember hearing somewhere ages ago that they were going to build it wide enough so that when they wanted to make it three lanes each way, all they had to do was basically add on an extra line. However looking at the photos of the tunnel, that's definately NOT wide enough for an extra lane in each direction.

Has the government announced anything in relation to what will happen to the GC hwy now that the majority of its traffic is gone? Are they going to make a lane a bus lane(Please, please, please, please)? Are they going to make it more pedestrian friendly? slow traffic?

 

[crazyknightsfan]

Your best hope is bus/tram lanes, you definitely won't see a slowing of traffic.