Canberra’s roads are getting a major revamp with the resurfacing program kicking off under a new strategic investment to ensure major arterial roads and suburban streets remain safe.
The ACT Government last year announced a significant increase in road maintenance, bringing the total budget to $153 million over four years to repair and preserve Canberra’s roads for a generation, following years of consistent rainfall.
“Following research by the Australian Road Research Board, the ACT Government increased expenditure for road maintenance by 52 per cent over four years to improve road conditions, including an up to 150 per cent increase in asphalting,” said Minister for Transport and City Services Chris Steel.
“The new strategic road maintenance program is evidence-based and will have a greater focus on resurfacing the Territory’s major roads and greater use of asphalt.
“With drier conditions expected, a substantial amount of road maintenance work is expected to be completed over this summer season.
“We are also progressing more road rehabilitation projects with construction to commence in the coming months on David Walsh Avenue in Forde.
“This project will incorporate an innovative Foam Bitumen Stabilisation treatment which delivers increased resistance to moisture, less emissions and construction waste, and reduced traffic disruption at a lower overall cost. Design work is underway for further works on sections of the Monaro Highway, Kings Highway and Sulwood Drive.”
Road resurfacing works are generally undertaken each year during warmer weather conditions.
The service life of a highly trafficked road is over 10 years whilst residential streets often deliver 25 to 30 years of service.
Road resurfacing treatments include road resealing, asphalt resurfacing and microsurfacing, which helps to waterproof the road, improve skid resistance and fill cracks in the pavement.
This week, overnight asphalt resurfacing work will be completed on sections of the Tuggeranong Parkway, near the Molonglo River.
Major roads to receive road resurfacing treatment over coming months will include:
* Adelaide Avenue, between State Circle and Kent Street
* Tuggeranong Parkway, southbound between Lady Denman Drive and Cotter Road
* Gungahlin Drive, several sections in both directions between the Barton Highway and Glenloch Interchange
* Barton Highway, from Kuringa Drive towards the ACT / NSW border
* Federal Highway, from Antill Street towards the ACT / NSW border
* William Hovell Drive, both directions between Bindubi Street and Coulter Drive
* Akuna Street in the City
* Anketell Street, Tuggeranong in several sections
* Hindmarsh Drive, in several intersections
