Page 280 - Week 01 - Thursday, 12 February 2015

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MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Fitzharris.

MS FITZHARRIS: Minister, how will these upgrades to Constitution Avenue that you mentioned benefit inner city workers?

MR GENTLEMAN: The upgrade project for Constitution Avenue will deliver staged transport improvements along the road corridor in the Civic section, and they include a dedicated bus lane in each direction, a separated cycle path, improved pedestrian facilities, a new central median planted with trees and a cross-section that has been designed to allow future light rail. With the upgrade works, public transport commuter travel times along the route will improve through the provision of a dedicated public transport lane.

The dedicated bike path along the length of Constitution Avenue will link directly with the Civic cycle loop, providing improved facilities for commuting cyclists travelling along this route. This will be an important route for many cyclists and will not only work towards making the commute for inner city workers easier but help to achieve active transport and healthy weight initiatives in the territory.

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.

DR BOURKE: Minister, can you please update the Assembly on progress on the construction of the Majura parkway and how this will benefit the community upon its completion?

MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Dr Bourke for his question. The construction of the Majura parkway commenced, as we know, in February 2013. The continuing construction works for the project are expected to be completed by June next year. These construction works are currently focused at the northern end transition between the Federal Highway and Horse Park Drive and at the southern end to progress construction of the Molonglo River and Fairbairn Avenue bridges and associated roadworks along the Monaro Highway, Morshead Drive, Pialligo and Fairbairn Avenue.

The 11.5-kilometre Majura parkway project will connect the Monaro Highway with the Federal Highway and has been included in the Australian Capital Territory plans since the 70s. From a national perspective, it will improve an important freight route linking national and regional roads such as the Barton Highway and Monaro Highway.

From a regional perspective, the project will provide better access to the Canberra Airport, provide a transport hub for the region and add to the capacity of the main road network. From a local perspective, the parkway will provide additional capacity to the arterial road network and improve access to and from Gungahlin to the rest of Canberra.

The ACT government and the federal government have agreed to a shared fifty-fifty funding arrangement to progress the $288 million construction of the Majura parkway. This is a large and important investment for the ACT and surrounding regions.


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