Motorists lurked near the entrances to Brisbane's Clem7 tunnel ahead of its opening last night, vying to be first through the $3 billion gridlock-busting project.
Cars were parking near the Shafston Ave entrance to the 4.8km tunnel from 7.30pm (AEST) on Monday night, two-and-a-half hours ahead of its opening to traffic.
Arguments over who was first through the completed tunnel will continue, but police led a media vehicle through and they were followed by two motorbikes and a parade of cars.
Within hours traffic in the tunnel encountered its first delay after a car suffered a flat tyre at about 6.15am on Tuesday.
Motorists will have 18 days of free travel before a toll for cars, which is a first for a major inner Brisbane city road, comes into effect.
RiverCity CEO Flan Cleary says a 30 per cent fare discount will also operate from April 6 to May 9 - meaning a cost of $2.95 for cars.
The cost for the 6.8km drive, which includes the tunnel under the Brisbane River, will be $4.28 for cars, $2.14 for motorcycles, $6.42 for commercial vehicles between 1.5 and 4.5 tonnes and $11.34 for heavier vehicles.
The tunnel has four entrances, one northern on Lutwyche Road near the Royal Brisbane Hospital and three southern on Ipswich Road, the Pacific Motorway and Shafston Avenue.
It is named the Clem7 after Brisbane's longest-serving lord mayor, Clem Jones.
