Budget paves way to improved footpaths and roads

Published on Tuesday, 23 June 2020 at 3:39:15 PM

Geraldton footpath works

Picture Caption: Road safety and traffic management are priorities in the City’s 2020/21 Budget.

Improving road safety and traffic management, renewing aged roads and increasing accessibility across the City region are top priorities in the 2020/21 Budget.

Over the coming 12 months, nearly $8 million allocated in the Asset Renewal Budget will be used to fix and maintain more than 18kms of sealed roads and to re-sheet more than 47kms of unsealed roads including 50kms of shoulder and swale renewals.

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn said strong financial management over the last five years has enabled the City to continue its ambitious roads and footpaths renewal program.

“Maintaining the 250kms of footpaths, 830kms of sealed roads and 1280kms of unsealed roads, which are the City’s largest assets, is ongoing, costly and vital to our financial sustainability,” he said.

“Ensuring residents and visitors can safely move throughout the City region is Council’s core business and we are getting more done very year.”

More than 1760m of footpaths will be renewed and 2040m of new footpaths will be constructed in Rangeway, Spalding, Wonthella, Strathalbyn and Sunset Beach in the coming financial year.

“The community ranked investing in the outer suburbs number three in the list of future priorities in the Community Voice Survey which is why we are investing more than $1 million to improve accessibility and liveability in these areas,” Mayor Van Styn added.

Major road resurfacing projects in the Budget include Fitzgerald Street from John Willcock Link to the northern boundary of the TAFE campus, Chapman Road between Hosken and Green Streets, and Barret Drive from the Brand Highway to Urawa Street.

Mayor Van Styn said grant funding has also made an important contribution to the roads renewal budget and the construction of two roundabouts.

“This year, we have to ensure every dollar goes even further, and we’ve gone that extra mile to leverage our investment with grant funding to help cover the costs of four road resurfacing projects,” he said.

External funding secured from Main Roads WA Regional Road Group Funding Scheme will cover more than 66% of the $1.6 million allocated towards four key projects including the resurfacing of Chapman Valley Road from Chapman Road to the North West Coastal Highway, Floes road between Boyd Street and Webberton Road, approximately 500m of Goulds Road and approximately 800m of the Nangetty Walkaway Road.

The construction of two roundabouts located at the intersection of Cathedral Avenue and Sanford Street and the corner of Durlacher and Maitland Streets in the coming months will greatly improve vehicle and pedestrian safety in the most traffic congested area of the City.

The grant funded projects will see more than $2 million of Black Spot funding invested into the local economy and assist with the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information or to view the City’s 2020/21 Budget, head to www.cgg.wa.gov.au

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