Figure 1: Slink will connect Tweed Coast Road with Turnock Street and Kingscliff village centre
Figure 2: Slink will connect to existing Turnock Street
Council KLP DCP 2020 p227 graphic showing upgraded Turnock Street ‘.. the primary gateway entrance into Kingscliff from the Tweed Coast Road …a character defining collector road integrating cycle and pedestrian movement, parking, shade and lighting with landscaping including street trees’
About Slink
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which is being prepared in Q3-4 2023 relates to the construction of Slink as shown in Figure 1, which will be predominantly above the 1% AEP flood level, with an approximate length of 1,060m that links Tweed Coast Road to the roundabout at the intersection of Elrond Drive and Turnock Street in Kingscliff. The project name is Slink, which refers to “Southern Link”, with this being the southern of 2 roads planned to link Tweed Coast Road to existing and planned urban development in Kingscliff to the east. The project has also been referred to as the “Turnock Street extension” and is now being referred to as Slink.
In summary Slink will:
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Be about 1km in length with a reserve width of 20m
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Include 2 lanes plus bike and pedestrian paths
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Be placed on fill to raise it above the flood level
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Be designed to have a 60km/hr speed limit
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Include a fauna crossing at its eastern end to link 2 areas of vegetation
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Carry approximately 12,000 vehicles per day once it is opened
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Have a construction timeframe of about 12 months
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Be constructed by around 2028, depending on approval timeframes and funding being available.
Planning context
Slink is identified in two key Council road planning documents; the Contributions Plan No. 4 Tweed Road Contributions Plan (TRCP) and the Tweed Road Development Strategy 2017 (TRDS). Slink is shown in the Kingscliff Development Control Plan B26 (Kingscliff DCP) and Kingscliff Locality Plan as shown in Figure 3 which were adopted in 2020 after extensive community consultation. Slink was also identified as a future important link as part of community consultation undertaken regarding Tweed Valley Hospital as shown in Figure 4.
These documents identify the need for the road link to provide additional road capacity to service traffic loading as a result of urban growth and/or development demands, including the soon to be completed Tweed Valley Hospital.
Alternative options were considered for the alignment of Slink, as shown in Gales presentation to Council in July 2017 and a detailed history of the planning issues can be viewed here.
Alternative options and an early start to Slink were considered over more than 20 years ago as shown in Slink history and planning and Gales presentation to Council in July 2017.
The new road link is considered necessary to alleviate forecast traffic capacity issues on Tweed Coast Road and Cudgen Road and improve emergency vehicle access to the Hospital by reducing through traffic volumes and associated delays at Cudgen Road intersections. From a regional perspective, traffic modelling demonstrates that the road link will provide a reduction in travel times which will have flow on economic and environmental sustainability benefits.
Figure 3: Kingscliff Locality Plan 2020 showing Slink in the approximate position proposed p265
Figure 4: Tweed Valley Hospital Design Progress video excerpt showing Slink (yellow east-west road)
Figure 5: Engineering plans of Slink prepared by Mortons Urban Solutions August 2023
Engineering plans
Detailed engineering plans have been prepared by Mortons Urban Solutions as shown in Figure 5 over a number of years in coordination with Tweed Shire Council in order to achieve the optimal configuration in terms of connection with the future roundabout at Tweed Coast Road, the existing roundabout at Turnock Street, road elevations and avoidance of vegetation.