16 May 2017

ACT Budget to allocate $30 million for second stage of Gundaroo Drive duplication

| Glynis Quinlan
Join the conversation
3


Work is expected to begin next year on stage two of the duplication of Gundaroo Drive between Gungahlin Drive and the Barton Highway following a funding allocation by the ACT Government.

The ACT 2017-18 Budget will commit $30 million over three years for work on the duplication as part of a roads upgrade package.

ACT Minister for Transport and City Services, Meegan Fitzharris, said the package will fund significant upgrades to major thoroughfares, as well as intersection upgrades and feasibility studies for future works.

“This $43 million roads upgrade package provides a significant boost to the world class road network around the Territory, and starts delivering the infrastructure commitments we took to the 2016 election,” Ms Fitzharris said.

“The stage two duplication of Gundaroo Drive between Gungahlin Drive and the Barton Highway is a project that many in the Gungahlin community have been asking for and I’m glad we can deliver on this commitment in the 2017/18 Budget.

“An additional 2.6 kilometres of Gundaroo Drive will be duplicated to a dual carriageway, extending the duplication works currently underway between Gungahlin Drive and Mirrabei Drive.

“The Government is also planning for the future needs of our city, and we have identified future roads works related to the Canberra Brickworks and the Molonglo developments that need the groundwork done now to ensure we can get the work done quickly when the projects are funded in future budgets.”

“We are also conscious of population increases in the Belconnen area – and have invested in design works on the Bindubi Street Extension and the William Hovell Drive upgrades.”

Ms Fitzharris said an extra $2.8 million in funding would also be allocated in the upcoming ACT Budget to upgrade the Gundaroo Drive and Mirrabei Drive intersection. This is an extension of the stage one Gundaroo Drive duplication which is already under way.

She said that the roundabout at this intersection will be replaced with traffic lights in order to improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists trying to cross Gundaroo Drive, Mirrabei Drive and Anthony Rolfe Avenue.

A total of $1.2 million in funding will also be allocated in next month’s ACT Budget to upgrade the intersection of the Federal Highway and Old Wells Station Road. Funds will be used to design and construct a new four-way signalised intersection aimed at providing safe access to the new Canberra Park Resort tourist facility and events held at Exhibition Park.

Ms Fitzharris said that the roads upgrade package comes on top of $2.9 billion infrastructure investment in last year’s Budget, which is currently rolling out across Canberra.

“The 2017-18 ACT Budget will see the Government delivering on the commitments we took to the 2016 election on the areas that matter most to Canberrans,” she said.

Top photo shows (from left to right): Labor Member for Yerrabi, Michael Pettersson, Minister for Transport and City Services, Meegan Fitzharris, and Labor Member for Yerrabi, Suzanne Orr, with a map of stage two of the Gundaroo Drive duplication.

Join the conversation

3
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Oh and the Bindubi street extension I believe is to be an access road into the suburb (think named Whitlam) planned for the southern side of William Hovell Drive. Think it is meant to meet John Gorton Drive near Coppins Crossing.

DavidB said :

“We are also conscious of population increases in the Belconnen area – and have invested in design works on the Bindubi Street Extension and the William Hovell Drive upgrades.”

How much longer can Bindubi Street be? Is this suggesting dual lanes for Bindubi Street or a new road built to connect to Cotter Road?
William Hovel is definitely in need of a duplication heading East.

This ACT Budget is definitely on a road to success. Thank you.

New road to cotter road? Do you mean John Gorton Drive which is already 1/2 built? If so the plan for that is to cross the river and then take over the last few hundred metres of Coppings Crossing road with an upgraded intersection with William Hovell Drive. There was a development application for this last stretch a few months back so might be happening soon.

Interestingly realignment of Coulter Drive to meet this intersection was not part of the application, though from memory the intersection design took future realignment into account eg it was a 4 way intersection. Gather it was easier to run John Gorton Drive to there rather than make it run to the existing existing William Hovell Drive and Coulter Drive intersection.

Either way it is better than the original plan where John Gorton Drive was going to meet William Hovell driv about mid way between Coulter and Bindubi drives.

“We are also conscious of population increases in the Belconnen area – and have invested in design works on the Bindubi Street Extension and the William Hovell Drive upgrades.”

How much longer can Bindubi Street be? Is this suggesting dual lanes for Bindubi Street or a new road built to connect to Cotter Road?
William Hovel is definitely in need of a duplication heading East.

This ACT Budget is definitely on a road to success. Thank you.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.