Holiday Congestion and Mooloolah River Interchange Works Slow Thursday Commute

Holiday Traffic and Major Infrastructure Updates

Commuters and holidaymakers across the Sunshine Coast should prepare for significant travel times this Thursday, April 9, 2026. As we are currently in the peak of the post-Easter school holiday period, traffic volumes are markedly higher than usual on major arteries connecting our coastal hubs to the Bruce Highway.

Major Construction and Roadworks

The most significant impact to local travel remains the ongoing construction at the Mooloolah River Interchange (MRI). Work on the Sunshine Motorway near the Nicklin Way and Kawana Way connections has resulted in revised lane configurations and a reduced speed limit of 60km/h. Motorists heading toward the University or the Sunshine Coast University Hospital should allow an additional 15 to 20 minutes during the morning peak.

In Caloundra, the Caloundra Transport Corridor Upgrade (CTCU) continues to affect the CBD approach. Traffic on Nicklin Way and Third Avenue is experiencing intermittent stoppages as crews work on the new road link. We recommend using West Terrace or Arthur Street as alternative routes to reach the beach precincts and avoid the main bottleneck at the intersection of Bowman Road.

• Sunshine Motorway: Heavy congestion reported eastbound between Mountain Creek and the Mooloolah River bridge due to lane narrowing.
• Nicklin Way: Slow-moving traffic through Currimundi and Wurtulla, exacerbated by holiday travelers heading toward the southern beaches.
• Bruce Highway: Increased volume is expected southbound throughout the afternoon as visitors begin to migrate toward Brisbane following the Easter break.

Public Transport Alerts

Translink has confirmed that all Sunshine Coast bus services are currently operating on a school holiday timetable. Commuters using the North Coast rail line should be aware of scheduled maintenance associated with the Beerburrum to Nambour (B2N) rail upgrade. Rail replacement buses are active for some mid-morning services between Nambour and Caboolture to allow for infrastructure testing. Passengers are advised to check the Translink journey planner before heading to the station.

Commuter Advice

With the autumn school holidays in full swing, local coastal roads are busier than a standard Thursday. If you are traveling between Maroochydore and Caloundra, consider using the Sunshine Motorway rather than Nicklin Way to avoid the local intersection upgrades. For those heading north toward Noosa, Eumundi Road is seeing typical holiday spikes; early travel is recommended to avoid the midday rush.