Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr encouraged residents to speak up about the structures and services they believe will be needed in the future. Photos: Chris Roe.
Wagga residents have been invited to have their say on the transport needs of the booming northern suburbs as the NSW Government considers its future priorities.
The Wagga Wagga Northern Access Strategy will build on previous consultation to develop a plan focused on the Olympic and Sturt highway corridors and their connection to the northern residential suburbs and the Bomen industrial estate.
Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr said the strategy aimed to address the critical issue of northern access, including a bypass and a second river crossing.
“There’s been a lot of discussion around the duplication of the Gobba [Gobbagombalin] bridge in the Wagga Transport Plan. Studies of this were flagged, but now the government’s taking that to another level with a strategy around the Wagga Wagga northern access,” he said.
“We know that a second river crossing is a very high priority so now is the time to step up our advocacy for the structures and services we’ll need in the future.”
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said the community feedback would inform the broader Riverina-Murray Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan (SRITP).
“Feedback from the community is critical to ensuring the Wagga Wagga Northern Access Strategy best guides Transport for NSW decision-making around future planning priorities and investment opportunities,” she said.
“Investigations will look at multimodal opportunities to improve access between the growth area in the north and the CBD and identify ways to reduce commuter delays and support freight movements while catering for future traffic growth.”
In 2022, traffic backed up along the Olympic Highway as Gobbagombalin Bridge provided the only crossing from the north.
In July, the government announced that the widening of Marshalls Creek Bridge on the Sturt Highway would take priority over proposed Olympic Highway upgrades with traffic lights on either side of the Gobbagombalin Bridge.
“The intersections that were proposed at either end of the Gobba bridge did not have universal community support, and they actually didn’t tackle the key issue, which was access to the northern suburbs. Clearly, part of the discussion must be a second river crossing and duplication of the Gobba bridge,” Dr McGirr said.
“I think the community recognises that those are big asks in terms of funding, so we need to get the planning right for that, and that’s been the missing piece.”
In May, Planning NSW announced the injection of more than $70 million into local infrastructure projects, including sewer upgrades for the northern side of the city to support up to 9000 homes.
“We know housing is an important issue for our community, but we also need to get this issue of the access right,” Dr McGirr said.
“I think the planning is a critical component of this … so I think this approach of having a northern access strategy is a good approach by the government, and I do encourage the community to participate.”
Transport for NSW will host two drop-in sessions for community members at the Wagga Marketplace on Saturday, 12 October, between 9 am and 12 pm and in the Civic Centre arcade on Wednesday, 16 October, 10 am to 1 pm.
Residents can also take part in an online survey before 28 October.
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