The ‘moonscape’ has been removed from Old Narrandera Road and work is underway for a temporary seal ahead of a major upgrade. Photo: Chris Roe.
The scorching weather of the past couple of weeks has been a gift to Wagga’s waterlogged road network and, despite the occasional thunderstorm, Wagga Wagga City Council crews have been making hot mix while the sun shines.
Desperately needed roadworks are underway across the LGA with Mundowy Lane, Old Narrandera Road, Inglewood Road, Copland Street, Lloyd Road, Nagle Street, Watson Boulevard, Bourke Street, and Macleay Street all on the list for the coming months.
Mundowy Lane was the first to receive some love and Old Narrandera Road between Pine Gully Road and the Olympic Highway is now the focus.
Crews have stripped off the battered blacktop to deliver a long-awaited upgrade to the surface, but Director of Infrastructure Services, Warren Faulkner, said that the fix was only skin deep.
“It’s not the actual start of the upgrade works; it’s to repair, to remove the patch on patchwork quilt [of pothole repair] … that are there to provide a better road surface until the major roadworks commence,” he explained, indicating Transport for NSW’s promised $20 million road and bridge improvement package.
The Wagga Wagga Transport Plan released last year confirmed a commitment to road and intersection upgrades on the Olympic Highway on both sides of the Gobbagombalin Bridge to ease congestion and improve safety.
An artist’s impression of the revamped Old Narrandera Road intersection. Photo: Transport for NSW.
While commuters recognise the urgent need for a solution, some are pushing for a broader, long-term approach that includes the duplication of the Gobba Bridge.
Committee 4 Wagga launched a survey just before Christmas, seeking Wagga residents’ feedback on the proposed upgrades to the problematic intersections.
“One of those things that they’re proposing is traffic lights at both the Old Narrandera Road, which is obviously an unsafe place to turn right as we’ve all experienced, but also down here on Travers and Moorong Streets,” explained chairman Adam Drummond.
“I know that they’ve got money allocated within the budget, which was for traffic lights, but that still doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best option.”
An artist’s impression of the Travers Street intersection with Gobbagombalin Bridge to the north and Moorong Street to the west. Photo: Transport for NSW.
C4W’s concerns primarily focus on the proposal to relocate the Travers Street intersection and add traffic lights at the southern end of the bridge.
The survey includes a question on the alternate idea of adding a grade-separated interchange that would allow northbound traffic to exit onto Travers Street by veering left and crossing underneath the Olympic Highway.
Mr Drummond explained that they want to ensure that any work that is done can be integrated with a future bridge duplication.
“Things change over the years that these decisions are made, and certainly the northern suburbs have grown exponentially since the decision was made to put in traffic lights,” he said.
“If you put in traffic lights, does that mean that we won’t get the duplication of the Gobba Bridge in five to 10 years’ time when we need it?”
The 15-question survey has received more than 1000 responses since it went live on 22 Dec and C4W plans to present the results to those making the decisions on the city’s future transport plans.
The survey will remain open until 26 January and you can have your say here.
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