Concept plans for the Lanyon Drive flyover across the Monaro Highway will be released on Tuesday, continuing progress on upgrades on the arterial road to improve travel times and safety.
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The plans show an overpass for southbound traffic travelling along the Monaro, with an extended off ramp for traffic turning left onto Lanyon Drive, with David Wren Road extended to Lanyon Drive.
The plans also include an upgrade to the intersection of Lanyon Drive and Sheppard Street in Hume.
Both the federal government and ACT government have pledged $100 million each to upgrading the Monaro Highway, intending to remove a number of intersections that slow traffic on the busy arterial road. After the Lanyon Drive intersection, Isabella Drive, Mugga Lane and Tralee streets will also have intersection upgrades.
Transport Minister for the ACT Chris Steel said the project would remove two sets of traffic lights and provide local jobs at a time when the economy is struggling.
ACT Senator Zed Seselja said he was looking forward to the project starting, with the concept design an important step toward completion.
"I have been prosecuting the case for this much needed flyover since my first term as senator for the ACT," he said.
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Transport and Regional Development Minister Michael McCormack said the upgrade would improve commuting times.
"The traffic lights at the Alexander Maconochie Centre intersection and at the southbound Monaro Highway intersection with Lanyon Drive will be removed and the signalised intersection at Lanyon Drive and Sheppard Street upgraded to improve access into and out of the Hume commercial centre."
"Last year we also announced both the Australian and ACT Governments were accelerating funding to allow $45 million of major works to start in the 2020-21 financial year."
The flyover will also include on-road cycle lanes.
The ACT government had previously explored a more ambitious upgrade plan, which involved completely re-aligning the road to avoid the Hume industrial precinct, but would have had the road going through the solar farm at Mugga Lane.
Mr Steel said on Monday that plan wouldn't be going ahead.
"We never intended to build the road through the Solar Farm," he said.
"What we have done is benchmarked the current, preferred road alignment, against other options as part of the necessary due diligence for an infrastructure project of this size."
Sally Whyte
I report on a range of issues in federal politics and the public service, with a real passion for how decisions made in Canberra affect the lives of Australians.
I report on a range of issues in federal politics and the public service, with a real passion for how decisions made in Canberra affect the lives of Australians.
