Long-awaited $8.3 million Dunns Road upgrades to finally begin

Dunns Road comprises 2.8 km of sealed road and 2.2 km of unsealed. Photo: City of Wagga Wagga.

After years of frustration for the local community and would-be users of the road and nine months after the project was planned to be complete, the $8.3 million upgrade works at Dunns Road finally began on Monday, 21 February.

Originally an unsealed ‘goat track’ that serviced local farmers, over time it became a popular shortcut for people heading to the south of Wagga. Eventually, the traffic volume increased to a level where the road condition was no longer tenable and accidents began occurring at a rate considered disproportionate to the level of road users.

In 2016, the road received a funding commitment of $2.5 million each from the Federal government and council.

In 2017, the road was closed by gate to passing traffic as a trial but eventually, that trial was abandoned.

Jointly funded by the Federal Government ($5.8 million) and Wagga Wagga City Council ($2.5 million), this project will undertake staggered works starting with upgrades to the existing 2.8 km sealed section and sealing the remaining 2.2 km of unsealed road.

Among other works to be completed in the first phase are improvements to cross-road drainage, installation barriers and line marking the road once sealed.

The council expects phase one to be complete by the end of June. The road will remain open to residents and businesses but closed to passing traffic throughout this time.

“We understand the closure will cause some inconvenience for motorists who use the road as a shortcut between Wagga Wagga and the townships of Uranquinty, The Rock and the Australian Army base at Kapooka,” senior project manager Silas Darby said.

“However, once completed, the upgrade will improve road safety, traffic flow and provide a more direct route to the city’s southern suburbs from the Olympic Highway.”

Phase two involves constructing a right-hand turn lane at the Olympic Highway intersection and phase three is the construction of a roundabout at the Holbrook Road intersection. The entire project is expected to be completed by December this year.

Once complete, the council believes Dunns Road can provide a safe and more direct route to key areas, including the southern part of the Wagga Wagga residential area and the airport. It also hopes to improve travel flow to outlying towns and ensure all road users have a safe and direct route from the Olympic Highway to the southern suburbs of Wagga Wagga. It is anticipated that the daily users of the road could triple to 1000 vehicles per day.

Works will take place from 7 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday. For updates on the project, head to the City of Wagga Wagga website.

Original Article published by Max O’Driscoll on About Regional.