The Coomera Connector Stage 1 South package, spanning 4km from Smith Street Motorway to Nerang-Broadbeach Road, is currently in the construction phase. This section will include a grade-separated interchange at Southport-Nerang Road, a new intersection at Nerang-Broadbeach Road, and a 300m bridge over the Nerang River. Additionally, it will feature a 4km shared bicycle and pedestrian path, connecting local path networks for the Molendinar and Nerang communities.
BIM one worked collaboratively with the Design Joint Venture team to relocate key utility assets, ensuring seamless integration with the civil design. Maintaining effective communication with Utility Authorities to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and adherence to relevant standards for all impacted asset treatments. In coordination with the City of Gold Coast, BIM one oversaw wet services design, ensuring that water and sewer relocations met stringent WSA and SEQ Water standards. Additionally, as Principal Contractor, BIM one carried out utility site investigation works as the Principal contractor to confirm asset impacts and assist in relocation designs.
As Utilities Lead during the Preliminary and Detailed Design phases, Michael highlighted his ability to successfully negotiate a mutually beneficial and challenging technical solution – in this instance, between TMR and Telstra. At the proposed grade-separated interchange between the Coomera Connector and Southport Nerang Road, a potential conflict with a significant Telstra asset comprising 6 x P100 conduits, a major manhole and various cables owned by third-party telecommunication providers was identified. Through Michael’s comprehensive understanding of highways, civil, structural and geotechnical engineering – he coordinated an options analysis / value engineering investigation to determine whether the construction of an additional 7m high RSS wall and major concrete protection slab would offset the costs (and program impacts) associated with the relocation. Michael collated the relocation cost estimates from each of the telecommunication providers and facilitated the comparison against the anticipated construction costs from the structures / geotech teams, prior to presenting the outcomes and recommendations to TMR. The outcome of the options analysis ultimately determined that the additional construction cost associated with the structural solutions (RSS wall and protection slab) generated a cost saving of ~$3 million for TMR, when compared to the major Telstra relocation. This positive outcome was only made possible due to Michael’s well-established relationship with Telstra‘s representative Duncan McKechnie, understanding of Telstra’s technical requirements, and overall knowledge of the multi-disciplinary design process.