11:52a.m. 10th October 2008

The new intersection at Maroochydore Rd and the Sunshine Coast Motorway at Maroochydore where the old roundabout was. Photo: Cade Mooney/178786

The state government has taken the wrong approach to improving traffic flow at the redesigned Maroochydore Road-Sunshine Motorway roundabout, according to a New South Wales engineer.

UBTSC chief Jozef Goj says the “traffic interchange”, which has caused problems for many Sunshine Coast motorists, will not work to keep traffic flowing.

Mr Goj said there were many problems with the interchange design, including the presence of traffic lights.

“You have left and right turn traffic in the same roadway when turning left or right,” Mr Goj said.

“To turn right from this road requires stopping at three sets of lights.

“To turn left requires one set of lights.”

Mr Goj said a three level turnabout or high speed interchange, known as Liquid Flow Traffic, would be more effective.

“Both will do the job more efficiently without traffic lights and you do not stop at the intersection,” he said.

Main roads minister Warren Pitt yesterday said a simple roundabout was not able to cope with increased traffic at the intersection.

Mr Pitt said traffic lights were coordinated to anticipate priority traffic movements and minimise queuing during peak times.

He said Main Roads would monitor the interchange and fine-tune signal synchronisation.

Mr Goj said his idea would not have cost the government any more to build and would probably cost less because only one lane of traffic was being used.