A $50-million injection of funding will mean the construction of a Queanbeyan bypass road starting in mid-2015.
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The 4.6-kilometre road, skirting the high terrain behind Queanbeyan to the east, will have an 80km/h speed limit and may become an attractive return route from the coast for Canberrans living in the southern suburbs. The two-lane single carriageway will link the current end of Ellerton Drive to the new Edwin Land Parkway intersection at Old Cooma Road, and is expected to be completed in 2017.
During the council's initial consultation last year, 212 submissions were received from the community, many voicing concerns about the proximity of the road to residences, noise and ecological impacts.
''Average buffer distance from the edge of the road to residential lot boundaries ranges between 15-40m," a council spokesman said. Acting Prime Minister Warren Truss, NSW Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner and NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay joined the MP for Monaro, John Barilaro, in Queanbeyan to announce the funding at the NSW Nationals annual conference.
"The Australian government will work closely with the NSW government and Queanbeyan City Council to deliver this vital piece of regional road infrastructure," Mr Truss said.
Mr Barilaro said the road would put Queanbeyan in the "economic fast lane", ease congestion in the CBD, provide an alternate route for heavy vehicles and service the new housing estates of Tralee and Googong.
A bridge built to withstand floods will be constructed over the Queanbeyan River as part of the project. "Local residents can therefore be assured they will have full access to the road even during extreme wet weather," Mr Barilaro said.
Queanbeyan City Mayor Tim Overall said the funding was fantastic news. ''The $50-million contribution will ensure the council can move ahead with one of the most important pieces of infrastructure in the city's history,'' he said.
Pre-construction planning has been undertaken by the Queanbeyan City Council, funded by the NSW government in a $4 million election commitment in 2011.
The council has engaged a consultant to complete the preliminary design for the road that will be presented to local council staff and the NSW Roads and Maritime Services in July or August. Final designs are expected in March next year.
