26 September 2023

Safer roads en-route to ACT Budget

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Canberrans are to see road safety improvements, intersection upgrades, and more pedestrian crossings throughout the city with funding promised in the ACT’s 2022-23 Budget.

Announced by Chief Minister Andrew Barr, the fundings are also expected to promote active travel.

Mr Barr said upgrades would be delivered at five intersections on Canberra’s southside, located at Streeton Drive/Namatjira Drive, Streeton Drive/Heysen Street, Tharwa Drive/Lawrence Wackett Crescent, Tharwa Drive/Norman Lindsay Street and Hume Circle and Sturt Avenue and Wentworth Avenue.

“More than 20,000 vehicles use the road network each day between Weston Creek, Tuggeranong and Woden, with the two Streeton Drive ‘seagull’ intersections becoming increasingly busy with nearby development,” Mr Barr said.

“The works will include installation of traffic lights to improve safe crossings options for pedestrians and vehicles and improvements to the surrounding path network,” he said.

“On Tharwa Drive, the works will include installation of traffic lights at the intersection with Lawrence Wackett Crescent, and safety improvements will be funded at the Norman Lindsay Street intersection near Lanyon Marketplace following a feasibility study.”

Mr Barr said preliminary design work for safety improvements at Hume Circle, which has one of the worst accident records for intersections in Canberra, would also be progressed

The Chief Minister said all the works would be supported by joint funding from the Australian Government.

“As part of the next two tranches of the national Road Safety Program with the Australian Government, we will deliver a number of projects supporting students to walk and cycle safely to school,” he said.

“This will include construction of three new pedestrian crossings near Gold Creek High School and Mary MacKillop College.”

Mr Barr said a branch of the Belconnen Bikeway project would also be funded on Haydon Drive from Battye St to Calvary Hospital, and the Territory would propose to co-fund the installation of audio tactile line marking and safety barriers on Brindabella Road.

“We will also continue to advocate for the ACT’s fair share of funding from the Australian Government for upgrades to Canberra’s regional roads,” he said.

“The 2022-23 ACT Budget proposes joint funding for upgrades on the unsealed sections of Boboyan Road within the Namadgi National Park.”

Mr Barr said these upgrades would improve the safety of this regional connection for residents, park visitors and emergency services.

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