SEQ motorways top congestion frustration
Gridlocked motorways and even lengthier daily commutes. That’s the grim future facing south east Queensland commuters if governments do not act to fix, finish and extend major road and public transport networks.
RACQ’s latest Red Spot Congestion Survey revealed four of the top five congested roads were orbital motorways around south east Queensland: the Pacific Motorway, Bruce Highway, Centenary Motorway and Gateway Motorway.
The Club’s Head of Public Policy Dr Michael Kane said addressing congestion will require governments to act decisively to improve and complete Brisbane’s transport network.
“Our members want our existing motorways and public transport corridors to be fixed, finished and extended, particularly in the lead up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Dr Kane said.
“Across our orbital motorway network*, including the Logan Motorway, there are bottlenecks that need fixing, there are projects already underway that need finishing and there are sections that need extending to fill in missing links.
“When you look at our already congested orbital motorway network, the potential for traffic overload being pushed onto the Inner City Bypass and Pacific Motorway, and congestion on South Pine Road, Enoggera Road and Gympie Road, there’s clearly a missing ‘Western Bypass’ link which would complete a full outer-orbital road network surrounding Brisbane City.”
RACQ said members have also raised consistent concerns about key roads running into the City and governments must improve public transport on these radial routes.**
“We could ease congestion along Enoggera Road, South Pine Road, Gympie Road, and Old Cleveland Road, with better public transport infrastructure,” Dr Kane said.
“We would also like to see more public and active transport options in the high-growth areas of Brisbane’s Centenary suburbs because they don’t have high-quality public transport.
“We’re going to have 4.5 million people living in the south east in the next decade and we need to be planning for the city we want it to be.
“We need to think much more strategically about long-term growth and transport needs. A lack of good planning decades ago is making things difficult now.”
The Club’s Red Spot Congestion Survey is run biennially. For the full report visit Road & Infrastructure Surveys | RACQ
Top 5 roads with the most nominations
| Rank in 2023 | Rank in 2021 | Road name |
| 1 | 3 | Pacific Motorway – between Coomera and Nerang and Logan Mwy and Gateway Mwy interchange at Eight Mile Plains |
| 2 | 1 | Bruce Highway – from Pine River Bridge to Caloundra |
| 3 | 2 | Centenary Motorway – between Ipswich Mwy and Toowong |
| 4 | 6 | Caloundra Road - major roundabouts |
| 5 | 4 | Gateway Motorway – Northbound congestion from Nudgee to the Bruce Highway. Also at Pacific Mwy interchange, Eight Mile Plains |
*Brisbane’s orbital motorway network (red zone highlights missing Western Bypass)
**Key radial routes needing improved public transport:
