The final piece in the $8.5 million reconstruction puzzle of one of Port Macquarie’s busiest roads, Gordon Street, is now complete.
The finishing touches were applied to the 660-metre stretch between the Ocean and Hastings River Drives intersection and Horton Street on Thursday 18 November, one week ahead of schedule.
One of the largest road improvement projects ever delivered by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, the multi-million upgrades where required to address ageing infrastructure both above and below the road surface.
Above ground Council has delivered a safer, smoother ride along Gordon Street with improved pedestrian safety, traffic flow and flooding infrastructure, while below improvements have been made to drinking and storm water.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Director Infrastructure, Dan Bylsma, said the upgrades will bring great benefit to Gordon Street motorists and businesses who have been extremely cooperative and patient.
“From the early planning phases to delivery stage, this project has required substantial input from various stakeholders including contractors EIRE Constructions, Gordon Street businesses and residents,” Mr Bylsma said.
“We’re thankful to everyone for their contributions, and the patience and understanding they’ve shown during periods of disruption on one of the biggest projects we’ve ever delivered.
“Not only have we delivered a new road between Ocean Drive and Horton Street, but we’ve also built a new super-highway of underground services to remove stormwater and bring fresh water to businesses and homes.
“Gordon Street is considered one of the top-five busiest roads in our region, which carries upwards of 30,000 motorists a day.
“Having to navigate the nuisances and complexities of reconstructing such a major road, while keeping traffic, business and community frustrations to a minimum has not been easy.
“We’re confident that we’ve been able to deliver an outstanding result that will have long-lasting benefits for all.”
Project Manager, Chris Favaloro, said the complexity of the project has made the final result all the more satisfying.
“We worked with businesses and the community to make sure they were informed of the work ahead of time, and we developed signed to encourage patrons to visit businesses during and after construction,” he said.
“I’m proud of the way various departments worked together and with the community. It was a challenging project, but one that will be integral in informing the delivery of future projects of this size and scale.”
