Page 1810 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 8 June 2022
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create around 500 jobs throughout the design and construction phases, which points to its very significant size.
We are expecting the Molonglo River bridge to be completed around December 2025, and it is important to acknowledge that some of the risks and challenges that I highlighted earlier may have an impact on the project. Once we have awarded the design and construction tender later this year, one of the first tasks will be to examine what we can do to limit these challenges, particularly in relation to the supply and availability of materials.
We are further supporting the growing communities of west Belconnen and the Molonglo Valley by duplicating the final 4.5 kilometres of William Hovell Drive from John Gorton Drive to Drake-Brockman Drive. This will include signalisation—putting in traffic lights at the intersection with Drake-Brockman Drive. The Australian government has committed $26.5 million to this project, matching the ACT government’s contribution and bringing the total project investment to $63 million. This investment will create around 200 local jobs. It is another strategic transport corridor project, where road upgrades are being delivered alongside better active travel infrastructure.
Through this project, we are delivering a new seven-kilometre shared path alongside William Hovell Drive, which will fill in a missing link in the existing network and create a much-needed new connection for the residents of Molonglo and west Belconnen straight through to the city. The environmental and development approvals for this project are complex. Additional consultation with the community was undertaken in late 2021, following the public notification period for the environmental impact statement and impact track development application.
The government have been listening to the community feedback and responding by updating our delivery approach. As a result, the alignment of the section of new shared path between Drake-Brockman Drive and the underpass adjacent to Hawker has been relocated to the western side of William Hovell Drive, away from residences and the off-leash dog area. That responds to community feedback. The approvals are continuing, with both documents now out on public notification until late July. Pending all necessary approvals, we will then commence procurement for the construction phase of the project, which is expected to commence in 2023.
Over on the north side of Canberra, Gungahlin was recognised for many years as being the fastest growing region of Canberra and amongst the fastest growing in Australia. The duplication of Gundaroo Drive is now in its third stage. We have already completed the duplication of sections from the intersection of Mirrabei Drive and Anthony Rolfe Avenue through to Gungahlin Drive and onwards to the Barton Highway. The final $54.5 million stage involves duplicating the lanes from the Barton Highway to Ginninderra Drive. This will complete the upgrade of the key road corridor connecting Gungahlin with Belconnen, delivering safer and more efficient travel between the new regions. That is going to be really important, particularly if the new CSIRO development goes ahead for residential in the future.
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