OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED ELLERTON DRIVE EXTENSION / SUPPORT FOR DUNNS CREEK ROAD, QUEANBEYAN

WE ARE OPPOSED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROPOSED ELLERTON DRIVE EXTENSION (EDE). WE SUPPORT PRIORITY CONSTRUCTION OF THE DUNNS CREEK ROAD, AND IMPROVEMENT AND PROMOTION OF EXISTING BYPASS ROUTES FOR HEAVY VEHICLES AND ACT COASTAL TRAFFIC AS CHEAPER, MORE EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES.. THE PROPOSED EDE ROUTE WILL IMPACT SEVERELY ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF MANY QUEANBEYAN RESIDENTS AS HIGH SPEED, HIGH VOLUME AND HEAVY VEHICLE TRAFFIC, GENERATING NOISE AND POLLUTION, WILL PASS THROUGH AND VERY CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS (FAIRLANE ESTATE, GREENLEIGH AND EAST QUEANBEYAN) AS WELL AS KARABAR AND JERRABOMBERRA VIA CONNECTION TO THE EDWIN LAND PARKWAY. WORSE STILL, THE PROPOSED EDE WILL TAKE THIS TRAFFIC, AND ACT COASTAL TRAFFIC, OUT OF THE CBD WHEN MOST BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED (FRIDAY NIGHT TO SUNDAY NIGHT) AND TAKE IT THROUGH THREE MAJOR RESIDENTIAL AREAS DURING THOSE HOURS WHEN MOST FAMILIES ARE AT HOME WANTING PEACE AND QUIET AND A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THE PROPOSED ROAD WILL ALSO ADVERSELY AFFECT THE WILDLIFE AND PLANTS OF THE AREA, AND THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE QUEANBEYAN RIVER CORRIDOR AND ESCARPMENT - OF WHICH QUEANBEYAN RESIDENTS ARE SO PROUD. THE EDE ROUTE IS OUT-OF-DATE AND WILL BE INEFFECTIVE IN SOLVING QUEANBEYAN'S CURRENT AND FUTURE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. HAVING BEEN ON MAPS FOR 30+ YEARS, IT HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH: QUEANBEYAN'S GROWTH (IT NOW DISSECTS SUBURBS RATHER THAN BY-PASSES); IMPROVED ACT ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE; TRENDS IN ACT POPULATION GROWTH (TO THE NORTH NOW); AND TRAFFIC PROBLEM AREAS IN QUEANBEYAN (EG YASS ROAD/PIALLIGO AVE AND TOMPSITT & LANYON DRIVES). IT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY WORSEN THE LATTER. WE CALL ON THE QUEANBEYAN COUNCIL TO URGENTLY: (I) RE-EVALUATE THE COSTS (SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC) AND ANY BENEFITS (REAL, NOT PERCEIVED) OF THE PROPOSED EDE ROAD AGAINST OTHER MORE EFFECTIVE EXISTING ROAD OPTIONS EG A MAXIMUM LOAD LIMIT ON QUEENS BRIDGE, AND IMPROVING AND PROMOTING EXISTING ROADS/BY-PASS ROUTES FOR HEAVY VEHICLES AND ACT COASTAL TRAFFIC; AND. (2) GIVE PRIORITY TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF DUNNS CREEK ROAD TO SERVICE THE NEEDS OF FUTURE GOOGONG RESIDENTS AS THIS WILL ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC PRESSURE ON THE SOON TO BE OPENED EDWIN LAND PARKWAY AND MINIMISE FURTHER WORSENING OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN JERRABOMBERRA.. WE ALSO CALL ON THE NSW STATE GOVERNMENT TO DENY ANY FUNDING FOR THE PROPOSED ELLERTON DRIVE EXTENSION ON THE GROUNDS OUTLINED ABOVE AND ON THE GROUNDS THAT THERE ARE MANY NSW ROADS THAT SHOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITY FUNDING EG KINGS HIGHWAY, PRINCES HIGHWAY ON THE SOUTH COAST AND DUNNS CREEK ROAD..