An updated concept design has been released for a revamp of two key connecting roads on the Sunshine Coast.
Sunshine Coast Council unveiled the update for the Sugar Road and Maud Street upgrade, which is set to include widened lanes and new-look intersections.
The two roads form one of the main routes into Maroochydore, where the city centre is developing by the day.
Council initially announced plans for the upgrade and released an initial draft concept design for community and stakeholder feedback in 2023.
Councillor Joe Natoli said, via a council media release, that more than 80 per cent of survey respondents indicated support for an upgrade.
“The community’s ideas and inputs from community consultation informed further investigations by council resulting in an updated concept design,” he said.
“Here on the Sunshine Coast, we’re connecting and engaging with our communities to build a better future for everyone.”
Several intersections on the route have been updated from the original draft concept design, including changes to intersections (scroll down for full details) and the addition of traffic signals.
Key areas of focus for the updated design include: improving the safety and accessibility of walking and riding paths; increasing landscaping opportunities for improved amenity; and reviewing traffic flow to and from side streets.
The road upgrade would include a widening of lands (two to four) along sections of both roads; upgraded intersections and crossings; traffic signals, improved walking paths; a riding path; better street lighting; and landscaping and tree planting.
Sunshine Coast News asked council how many properties could be impacted.
A council spokesperson said it had purchased “numerous properties” for the Sugar Road and Maud Street upgrades since 2015.
“Council endeavours to secure properties by negotiation with the landholder rather than through compulsory acquisition (resumption) unless absolutely necessary and pays market value at a price set by an independent valuer,” they said.
“Council has a responsibility to ratepayers to ensure the valuation process and any settlement is fair and reasonable.
“Council has secured the majority of properties north of Wrigley Street required for the project. There are no immediate plans to secure properties south of Wrigley Street.
“Council will continue to keep local property owners updated.
“Council endeavours to give impacted property owners as much notice as possible, which is partly why road projects are planned years in advance.”
The cost of construction will be estimated during detailed design (estimated to be late 2026) and construction staging determined to match available funding.
Council said there would be some disruptions during construction.
“Works may require temporary changes to the road network, property accesses and footpaths for short periods,” they said.
“Council will notify property owners and road users of impacts well in advance of construction.”
Interim line marking changes, south of Oloway Crescent, are required during the next 12 months to address current safety concerns and improve traffic flow.
Pop-up information sessions are taking place this month at Sunshine Plaza, Maroochydore (Ground floor near Mister Minit) at 10am to 1pm on Saturday, November 9 and at Sunshine Coast City Hall, Maroochydore at 10am to 1pm on Tuesday, November 12.
The Have Your Say web page and project newsletter summarises project changes and consultation activity.
It comes after the LNP committed $15 million to upgrading the Sugar Road and Mooloolaba Road junction.
After winning the state election, the incoming state government is expected to make improvements as soon as possible.
The intersection is on the border of the new Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg’s electorate of Buderim.
He said last month that an intersection upgrade there would “help ease a traffic chokepoint on the Sunshine Coast and help local drivers get to work or school on time and back home to their families quicker.”
Key intersections that have been revised for the updated concept design
- Coghlan Court will be closed to traffic at the Maud Street intersection, and Easton Street will become a left only exit onto Maud Street, with no incoming traffic. Residents in these streets will instead be able to use Sugar Road North via City Centre Access to travel to and from Maud Street.
- Oloway Crescent will be a signalised intersection, allowing traffic to travel in all directions when entering and exiting Sugar Road. This will improve local connectivity to eastern neighbourhoods.
- Centenary Crescent will remain unsignalised and become a left in and left out only intersection at Sugar Road. This will ease the likelihood of traffic queuing in this section of the road given the close proximity to the signalised intersection at Oloway Crescent.
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.
