This is a media release from Meegan Fitzharris, MLA, 9 March 2018
From next week Hibberson Street in the Gungahlin Town Centre will be transformed into a more people-friendly shared zone, with work also beginning on an upgrade to Gungahlin Place Park to add more greenery and play spaces.
Work is already well underway on the construction of the Gungahlin Light Rail Terminus, the Gungahlin Bus Station, and associated traffic lights and pedestrian upgrades. In addition, work has begun on the Gungahlin Walk in Centre.
Minister for Transport and City Services Meegan Fitzharris said Hibberson Street will close for work to begin on Tuesday 13 March, and while there is a lot going on in the Gungahlin Town Centre, the end result will be worth it.
“When I was first elected as an MLA, one of the things I wanted to deliver was a more vibrant and people-friendly Hibberson Street, where more people wanted to shop, meet for a coffee or sit and relax.
“It’s really exciting this work is about to start, and we are turning the Gungahlin Town Centre into a more connected, lively place to shop, eat and play.
“While there will still be on-street parking, pedestrians will be the big winners from the Hibberson Street upgrade, with improved footpaths, a 20 km/h one-way shared zone, and more plants and trees transforming the street into a vibrant, people-friendly precinct.
“Work on the new Gungahlin Bus Station is well underway and will provide easy access between buses and light rail, safe pedestrian access, CCTV cameras and new trees.
“Gungahlin Place Park, between Hibberson Street and Efkarpidis Street, will help beautify the town centre and offer kids more places to play and parents more places to relax. The park will include extended grassed areas, new play equipment, a birds nest style swing for all-abilities, timber walking planks, rain garden and a dry creek bed for kids to explore.”
Work on the Gungahlin Bus Station will be complete at the end of April, with other work on Hibberson Street to finish in the third quarter of 2018. Light rail is on track to finish in late 2018, however businesses and shoppers will start to notice work finishing sooner in the Gungahlin Town Centre.
“I’d like to acknowledge there is a lot of work going on in Gungahlin at the moment, and I really do thank people and local businesses for their patience. In the long term this work will really revitalise the town centre and cater for our growing community.”
Road closures will be required in coming weeks to facilitate the completion of these projects and have been designed to minimise ongoing impacts to the community.
The following road closures will come into effect in the coming months:
• Gungahlin Place will be closed northbound between Efkarpidis Street and Ernest Cavanagh Street from 13 March to late-April 2018 for construction of the Gungahlin Bus Station
• Hibberson Street will be closed between Gozzard Street and Gungahlin Place from 13 March to the third quarter of 2018 for construction of the Hibberson Street shared zone.
Full pedestrian access will be maintained while these works are underway.
The ACT Government is working to finish these projects as quickly as possible. We thank everyone for their patience whilst this important work continues.
For more information on these projects and others in the area, visit www.tccs.act.gov.au or contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
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