Page 9 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 10 February 2015
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discussing these issues at its next meeting in February 2015. My Directorate will be participating with a view to determining if there are practical measures that will mitigate the problems raised by residents.
On this basis, the Government does not support the petition being referred to the Assembly for a review at this time.
Roads—Allara Street—petition No 19-14
The response read as follows:
Firstly, I would like to thank Mr Gentleman MLA for submitting the petition on behalf of the Canberra residents who have taken the time to consider the proposal.
I can advise that since early October 2014 TAMS officers have been working with representatives of the various residential and commercial operations along Allara Street to respond to their concerns. Additional work has been undertaken to reassure the respondents that access and safety of all users has been considered and addressed in the current designs.
The contractor for the Main Contracted Works for the Constitution Avenue upgrade have erected construction fencing and made preparations to undertake construction of the connection of Parkes Way and Allara Street.
I also note the concerns with the potential impact of this connection on future events which utilise the existing pedestrian bridge to Commonwealth Park. TAMS event officers have discussed the potential for event proponents to temporarily close the new connection for event traffic management purposes.
The Constitution Avenue project team have reviewed a range of options for addressing the accessibility issue created by the Constitution Avenue project, which has generated the requirement for the Allara Street/Parkes Way Connection. Unfortunately, there is no alternative solution in this case.
Signalisation of the Parkes Way and Coranderrk Street roundabout, which has been described as an alternative, is also being considered to address the congestion issues on Parkes Way as part of the broader City to Lake Project. Unfortunately this improvement would not address the accessibility issue, which is the driver for the connection into Allara Street from Parkes Way.
The project team are taking every opportunity to ensure this new connection is designed and implemented in a fashion that provides a safe environment for all users. Measures such as a 40km/h speed limit and priority crossings for pedestrians and cyclists are being installed to create a slow speed environment. These improvements are included in the current designs for the Civic Cycle Loop Allara Street Southern Section, which will be submitted to the National Capital Authority for works approval early in 2015.
It should be noted that in previous planning documents for the City precinct, including the most recent City Plan which was presented to the community in August 2013, this new road connection had been identified. It was these planning documents that supported the proposed connection as a possible solution to the accessibility issues generated on Constitution Avenue.
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