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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 3 Hansard (8 March) . . Page.. 843 ..

MR HIRD (continuing):

Similar proposals apply in recommendation 10 to the intersection of Gundaroo Road and the Barton Highway, where a grade separation intersection is called for.

Although it is not a specific recommendation of the report, the handling of the Gungahlin Drive extension where it intersects with Ellenborough Street in Kaleen needs careful handling. A group of Kaleen residents has put strong arguments that access should not be available between these two roads, in order to minimise what is known as rat-running through the suburb of Kaleen.

In order to provide further transport route opportunities for Gungahlin residents, the report at recommendation 9 seeks government action to urgently establish a timetable for duplication of Gundaroo Drive between Mirrabei Drive and the Barton Highway. Further, the same recommendation specifically calls for the duplication of William Slim Drive between the Barton Highway and Ginninderra Drive. (Extension of time granted.)

Recommendation 11 is that the ACT government should provide a grade-separated intersection at the intersection of the Gundaroo Drive extension and Ginninderra Drive. Recommendation 12 is that the Gungahlin Drive extension should cross Belconnen Way by way of a flyover, with access and egress links to Belconnen Way.

Members will have noted that the report calls for a number of grade-separated or flyover intersections where the Gungahlin Drive extension meets with other carriageways. These recommendations, if carried through, will not only result in easier and safer driving conditions but will also result in cleaner air, as greenhouse gas emissions are known to increase when vehicles are required to stand for periods of time at traffic lights and intersections.

Recommendation 13 relates to how the proposed extension will affect the residents of Aranda. It calls for the immediate start of a detailed analysis of an appropriate solution to noise and traffic problems which would occur in this area.

Two options were put to us as to how to handle the extension as it runs into Caswell Drive. The first is that the level of Caswell Drive be lowered and appropriate noise barriers put in place. The second is that Caswell Drive be moved further to the east towards Black Mountain. We do not take a view on which option is better, but we strongly stress that Aranda residents must have their amenity protected as elsewhere in Canberra.

We also considered that there should be no direct access to the Gungahlin Drive extension from Aranda but that provision should be made for Aranda residents and other residents who partake in bush walking to have access to the Black Mountain reserve by way of underpasses.

Recommendations 14 and 15 call for the government to provide a timetable for start of work to duplicate William Hovell Drive between Bindubi Street and Coulter Drive and for the start of work to upgrade Parkes Way to three lanes in each direction between the Glenloch Interchange and Edinburgh Avenue.

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