Sick of being stuck in queues on Kennedy Drive in Tweed Heads West? Tweed Shire Council says traffic there will get worse before it gets better.
In fact motorists are strongly advised to avoid it altogether during the next two weeks as the road is being reconstructed.
Road reconstruction began yesterday and will last another eight working days (to end of Monday, November 7). It’s the final part of a five-year, $9 million project to upgrade the major arterial road.
But yesterday’s congestion is set to worsen tomorrow (Wednesday, October 26) as the southern lane of the bridge across Cobaki Creek will be closed to allow the eastern approach to be repaired. This closure will occur between 10am and 2pm to minimise the impact on peak-hour traffic.
Council monitored traffic delays yesterday, with eastbound vehicles timed at 30 minutes to drive from the Panorama Plaza shops to Limosa Road at 8.30am. By 2.30pm, the eastbound flow was down to 13 minutes. But by 3.30pm, peak-hour traffic had begun early and waiting times increased substantially.
During the afternoon peak, the council said westbound traffic was moving very slowly taking 20 minutes to travel just over a kilometre. At this time, traffic management was obliged to give westbound traffic priority to ensure no tailbacks on the high-speed Pacific Motorway.
‘Despite the delays, motorists are being very tolerant and courteous,’ said the council’s construction engineer Bob Hanby.
‘They understand there is no easy alternative when it comes to Kennedy Drive.
‘Our advice remains: the only way to avoid congestion is travel early and get through before 7 in the morning or go via Bilambil and Terranora roads.
‘And, from yesterday’s lessons, the afternoon peak is starting early and motorists should consider going the alternate route regardless of the time of day,’ Mr Hanby said.
