Page 2896 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 14 August 2018
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The existing path on Ball Street will also be widened up to Hindmarsh Drive. The works will extend beyond the intersection verge on the southern side, with a new path connection to Altree Court. Furzer Street will be provided with cycling infrastructure, and all the new and existing networks and connections will be actively used through the inclusion of new wayfinding signage to direct users in, around and through Woden town centre.
This is a significant investment because we understand that footpaths and public spaces are vitally important for a successful city. One of their primary uses is to connect people not just with points of geography but with each other. Our investment in public realm improvements at Woden will create more attractive public spaces and footpaths that bring Canberrans together. This is an important ingredient in Woden’s future, where we expect there will be a greater diversity of uses—not just the foot traffic of workers but of actual residents living in Woden town centre’s core and going about their daily lives. The growth of diversity in our town centres is the key to the regeneration that we are already starting to see.
As we have seen along Northbourne Avenue and now in Woden, a catalyst for urban regeneration and diversity is also our government’s investment in light rail, and our budget continues to deliver the investments to stage 2 of light rail to Woden, which is so important for Woden’s future. After making a decision on the final route to Woden, following consultation with the community, the government has progressed the light rail project in this budget through an investment of $12.5 million for the planning, design and enabling works.
Light rail stage 2 will not only provide more high capacity public transport options for Woden but also significantly change the appearance of Woden town centre, starting with a new integrated public transport interchange at Callum Street. It is particularly exciting to see the investment in the budget of $2.5 million for the preparation of works for the much-needed redevelopment of the Woden bus interchange.
The ACT government’s vision for the Transport Canberra interchange at Woden is that it will integrate light rail with our modern bus network and active travel with a barrier-free shared zone that ensures easy access for pedestrians and cyclists across the track, generous active travel paths alongside the light rail alignment, and new street tree plantings to reflect the nature and pedestrian scale of the surrounding streets.
The interchange upgrades will be augmented by the Phillip bus depot project funded in last year’s budget, which is currently under construction and which will support our extended fleet of buses, including our electric bus fleet. In addition, the government will develop a park-and-ride strategy to incorporate the expansion of the rapid bus network and introduction of light rail. We know the new and existing park-and-ride sites are incredibly popular in the community and that additional sites will need to be considered as our city grows. I welcome that funding.
Finally, funding is also provided for the preparation of plans for a redevelopment of the intersection of Yarra Glen with Melrose and Yamba drives to improve safety, to ease congestion and to accommodate light rail as well. These combined measures in
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