The Federal and ACT Governments will support construction jobs across the Canberra region by jointly investing an additional $35 million to deliver shovel-ready infrastructure projects and urgent road safety upgrades.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said further investment in infrastructure would play a critical role in the Commonwealth's JobMaker plan and help the ACT economy as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Partnering with state and territory governments to invest in more major infrastructure projects across Australia is a key part of our JobMaker plan to rebuild our economy and create more jobs," the Prime Minister said.
"This funding injection means we have brought forward or provided additional funding of $48 million to the ACT in the past eight months.
"This package builds on the fast tracking of $30 million in Monaro Highway funding which we announced last November, locking in upgrades that will increase productivity, improve safety, and boost jobs at a time we need it most."
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Australian Government was laying the foundations for recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The Australian Government has worked closely with State, Territory and Local Governments to identify shovel-ready projects to help boost the economy and get money flowing into jobs and businesses as soon as possible," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
"Upgrading intersections Territory-wide, improving Northbourne Avenue, delivering a new Mitchell light rail stop and investing in road safety barriers as well as variable speed limit infrastructure on the Tuggeranong Parkway, this package sees the Government stepping up our economic response to lay the foundations for recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic."
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the ACT Government was investing $17.6m in the matched program.
"This jointly funded package is about bringing forward pipeline of transport infrastructure projects across the Territory that will create jobs over the next year of the recovery," the Chief Minister said.
The package includes $1.6 million from the ACT Government to jointly fund targeted road safety investments across the Territory including upgrades to traffic signals to keep them on during power outages, and the installation of road safety barriers to protect motorists on arterial roads.
ACT Minister for Transport and Minister for Roads and Active Travel, Chris Steel, said the Australian and ACT Governments would jointly fund the Northbourne Avenue Pavement Rehabilitation, an additional light rail stop at Mitchell, and bring forward the construction of traffic lights at four intersections.
"Design is being undertaken on a 14th stop on the light rail line and we will work with Canberra Metro to build the station at Sandford St over the next year," Minister Steel said.
"The new light rail stop on Flemington Road at Sandford Street will provide better access to the Mitchell business district in addition to the existing stop at Well Station Drive.
"In this infrastructure package we are also bringing forward the installation of traffic lights to improve road safety and pedestrian access at four key intersections in Belconnen and Woden."
The intersections included are:
• Belconnen Way/Springvale Drive, Hawker
• Southern Cross Drive/Starke Street, Holt
• Launceston Street/Irving Street, Philli
• Kuringa Drive/Owen Dixon Drive, Evatt.
The jointly funded package is supported by equal investments from the Commonwealth ($17.6 million) and ACT Governments ($17.6 million).
Commonwealth funding for the package has been drawn from the recently announced $1.5 billion allocation to priority shovel-ready projects and targeted road safety works.
Senator for the ACT, Zed Seselja, said today's announcement brings Commonwealth Government commitments to $770 million for transport infrastructure in the ACT since coming to Government.
"Today's announcement builds on our $150 million commitment to the Barton Highway, $100 million for the Monaro Highway, $20 million for William Slim Drive, and $30 million for the Kings Highway," Senator Seselja said.
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