About 40 trucks a day will from Monday carry fill from a construction site in Barton to Canberra's city centre, where work will continue on the $60 million project to raise London Circuit to the level of Commonwealth Avenue.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The fill will initially be used to build the side track that will connect motorists with Commonwealth Avenue while work continues on the broader project, a part of a future light rail extension.
Transport Minister Chris Steel said the project would ultimately create a safer environment for road users, better connect the city with Lake Burley Griffin and allow light rail to connect with Commonwealth Park.
"Building this new side track means we are getting on with delivering the biggest transport infrastructure project in our city's history, whilst keeping our community moving and minimising disruption to Canberrans," Mr Steel said.
"When the side track is completed later on this year traffic will be diverted to the new road so we can maintain two lanes of traffic on Commonwealth Avenue in each direction as we ramp up work to demolish the two overpass bridges over London Circuit."
The side track will be built to the west of Commonwealth Avenue, onto which northbound traffic will be diverted. Southbound traffic will be diverted onto the existing northbound bridge while the southbound bridge is demolished.
MORE A.C.T. POLITICS NEWS:
The next stage of the project will return traffic to an embankment, allowing the northbound bridge to be demolished.
The fill from the Barton construction site will be "rigorously tested for contaminated materials", the government said.
Trucks will use arterial roads between Barton and the city centre between 7am and 5pm on weekdays and between 7am and 1pm on Saturdays.
"To ensure the safety of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, as well as construction crews and truck drivers, trucks will only use prescribed heavy haulage routes to minimise impacts to the broader road network, drivers will receive safety briefings, and vehicle management and temporary traffic plans are in place," Mr Steel said.
Pedestrian detours will be in place outside the site entrances on Constitution Avenue and Edinburgh Avenue. A new boom gate will be in operation on Constitution Avenue.
Meanwhile, motorists have been stopped from turning right from the government's City Hill car park between 5 and 6pm on weekdays in an effort to improve traffic flow on Constitution Avenue.
"The ACT government will continue to monitor traffic in the area and make further enhancements to traffic light phasing if required," the government said in a statement.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
