Single Lane Reductions on Gold Coast Highway as Light Rail Stage 3 Enters Final Construction Phase

Gold Coast Traffic and Commute Update: Sunday, 8 March 2026

Good morning, Gold Coast. As we head into this second Sunday of March, commuters can generally expect a smooth run across the city’s major arteries. However, significant long-term construction projects continue to reshape our local road network, particularly along the coastal corridor and the northern growth areas. Here is what you need to know for your Sunday travels.

Gold Coast Highway and Light Rail Stage 3

The most substantial disruptions today remain focused on the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 project. Construction between Broadbeach South and Burleigh Heads is now entering its final high-impact phases. Motorists should be aware that the Gold Coast Highway is currently reduced to a single lane in both directions between Dawn Parade in Miami and George Street East in Burleigh Heads. This bottleneck is expected to cause moderate delays during the middle of the day as residents head to the beaches.

Additionally, several bus stop closures are in effect to facilitate the installation of new track slabs. The stop at Miami Hotel (Stop ID 300364) remains closed, with a temporary stop located approximately 80 meters south near Kelly Avenue. Commuters using routes 700 and 777 should also note that stops at Second Avenue and Anzac Parade in Burleigh Heads are closed until further notice while streetscape improvements are completed.

Coomera Connector and M1 Pacific Motorway

In the north, construction of the Coomera Connector (the M9) is progressing rapidly. While the Stage 1 North section between Shipper Drive and Helensvale Road is now fully open to traffic, work is intensive on the Central and South packages. Drivers near Molendinar and Nerang should watch for changed traffic conditions on the Smith Street Motorway and around the Ridgevale Drive overpass, where bridge works are ongoing. The Smith Street Off Ramp at Arundel remains closed today for planned roadworks, requiring a detour through nearby interchanges.

On the M1 Pacific Motorway, the Varsity Lakes to Tugun (VL2T) upgrade is now officially complete, providing three lanes of flow in both directions. However, a series of out-of-hours maintenance works are scheduled for this month. While no major closures are flagged for this morning, be prepared for potential 40 km/h zones tonight as crews perform routine pavement inspections and utility maintenance.

Public Transport Alerts

There are no major weekend track closures reported for the Gold Coast rail line today. Trains are running to a standard Sunday timetable between Varsity Lakes and Brisbane. However, passengers are reminded that the next major rail disruption is scheduled for next weekend, starting Saturday, 14 March. If you are using the G:link today, services are running normally every 15 minutes, though extra vigilance is required around construction zones in Miami as testing preparations continue for the extension.