Sunshine Motorway, Mooloolah River Interchange Upgrade (Stage 1)

The Sunshine Motorway, Mooloolah River Interchange Upgrade will address well-known safety and congestion issues that are forecast to increase due to regional population growth and development, while also delivering improved north-south connectivity on the Sunshine Coast.

Benefits

• Improves safety
• Improves network efficiency
• Better road access
• Reduces peak hour congestion
• Reduces travel time
• Contributes to economy

Key features

The first stage of this project will include a:

• new road overpass to provide a more direct and efficient connection from Nicklin Way to Brisbane Road at Mooloolaba
• new local road connection between Karawatha Drive at Mountain Creek and Brisbane Road at Mooloolaba
• new active transport provisions for pedestrians and bike riders, connecting Mountain Creek and Mooloolaba
• new signalised intersection linking Brisbane Road and the new connection to Karawatha Drive, and provision of a two-way service road.

These local road connections will separate local traffic from high-speed motorway traffic and reduce traffic weaving—a well-known issue at this interchange.

Future stages will deliver:

• a new crossing of the Mooloolah River, connecting the Sunshine Motorway to Kawana Way
• the Mooloolah River Interchange, with connections to:
  • the Sunshine Motorway to the west and north
  • Nicklin Way to the south-east
  • Kawana Way to the south
• an upgrade of the Sunshine Motorway from 2 to 4 lanes between the existing Kawana Way Interchange and the Mooloolah River Interchange
• a direct, safe, and efficient connection for the Sunshine Motorway, north to west
• an additional northbound lane on the Sunshine Motorway between the Mooloolah River Interchange and the Buderim-Mooloolaba interchange
• new active transport provisions for pedestrian and bike riders, linking Parrearra, Mountain Creek and Mooloolaba
• a new signalised intersection linking the new crossing of the Mooloolah River with Kawana Way.

Funding

The Australian Government's Independent Strategic Review of its Infrastructure Investment Program Review resulted in the project no longer receiving the previously committed $160 million Australian Government funding for the Mooloolah River Interchange (Stage 1).

Project details and timing are subject to further planning and negotiation with funding partners. Investment ID 2007574

Current status

Detailed design work is progressing. Timeframes are subject to funding considerations.

Community consultation

More than 250 items of feedback were received via the online engagement platform, email, phone and community information sessions during the consultation period for the Stage 1 preliminary design layout in 2023.

Major themes raised included timeframes, staging, connectivity, active transport, environmental concerns, and noise attenuation.

The department would like to thank everyone who had their say during the preliminary design and planning consultation periods. This valuable feedback will help shape the final design.

Community feedback prompted the redesign of proposed access changes to the Brisbane Road service road at Mooloolaba. The refined design was announced in March 2023 and removed any impact to Neerim Park to preserve this public green space for the community to continue to enjoy.

Integration with public transport planning

The department is planning a Sunshine Coast transport network that supports multiple modes, including public transport. The needs and impacts of future projects such as the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line, Kawana Motorway and Sunshine Coast Public Transport projects are being considered as part of design work for the Mooloolah River Interchange Upgrade.

Environment, culture and heritage

The Mooloolah River Interchange Upgrade is committed to the protection and sustainability of the unique Sunshine Coast environment, culture, and heritage. The project team aims to tread lightly, minimise and mitigate impacts, and to replenish or enhance where possible.

On 28 August 2015, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water advised approval of the project proposal with conditions, in accordance with Part 9 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

A condition of the EPBC Act approval is to establish a baseline data collection program to determine the area of occupancy of Water Mouse population in the project area, the water and salinity levels at high and low tides, and the condition and extent of Water Mouse habitat to be retained/avoided as part of the project. The approved baseline data collection program is provided in this report.

Stage 1 layout - July 2023

Design layout - July 2023

Mooloolah River Interchange location map

1. An additional northbound lane between the Mooloolah River Interchange and Buderim-Mooloolaba Interchange
2. New Sunshine Motorway overpass for traffic travelling from north to west (replaces existing loop configuration)
3. New overpass providing eastbound traffic with a direct link to Brisbane Road
4. Duplication of the Sunshine Motorway between the existing Kawana Way Interchange and the new Mooloolah River Interchange, completing 4 lanes to the Bruce Highway
5. New direct local road connection between Karawatha Drive and Brisbane Road, removing the need for local drivers to weave across Sunshine Motorway traffic
6. New overpass to connect Nicklin Way northbound with Brisbane Road (replaces existing loop configuration to Mooloolaba)
7. New active transport provisions (pathways and cycle lanes) linking Parrearra, Mountain Creek, and Mooloolaba
8. New Mooloolah River Crossing connecting the Sunshine Motorway to Kawana Way
9. New signalised intersection with Kawana Way.