Dubbo Council will upgrade a section of road, improving B-double access and preventing them from having to travel through town
By Brad Gardner | October 20, 2010
Dubbo-bound B-doubles will gain greater access to the township after the Council got the approval to upgrade a section of road.
Work can now begin on the $1.4 million upgrade of the intersection of Boothenba Road and the Golden Highway after the NSW Government amended the National Parks and Wildlife Act.
The Government needed to amend the Act because land for the project was part of the Beni State Conservation Area, which cannot be developed without parliamentary approval.
“Upgrading the intersection will enable B-double trucks to use Boothenba Road to access Troy industrial area, thereby reducing the distance trucks travel by five kilometres and keeping unnecessary traffic out of the Dubbo city centre,” Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Penny Sharpe says.
“Boothenba Road forms part of a northern freight vehicle route which bypasses the Dubbo city centre and links the Golden Highway, Newell Highway and Mitchell Highway to the west of the city.”
The Government will revoke 1.159 hectares for the project, which has been supported by the Liberals.
“The safety upgrade is considered both urgent and essential. Boothenba Road is part of the northern freight vehicle route but is not able to be used by B-doubles to bypass Dubbo,” opposition climate change spokeswoman Catherine Cusack says.
The amendment also gained the backing of Greens MLC Ian Cohen because the Government will transfer 8ha of land to the Beni State Conservation Area as compensation.
“We should not allow the destruction of such heritage except in exceptional circumstances and where adequate compensatory measures are provided for,” Cohen says.
Sharpe says changes are necessary because the boundary between national parks and adjoining infrastructure sometimes prevents upgrades.
ATN has contacted Dubbo City Council for comment on when the project will begin and when it will be completed.