A busy intersection is getting a much-needed upgrade that will improve safety and congestion, while strengthening the road for heavy vehicle use.
The intersection of Farm and Alexandra Street will undergo a complete reconstruction with works kicking off this month.
Infrastructure Councillor Ellen Smith said that due to the complexity and size of the project there will be temporary road closures and other traffic changes in place during the project.
"There is quite a lot that goes into a road reconstruction - we will be completely digging it out, replacing the road pavement and upgrading the whole intersection," Cr Smith said.
"The reconstruction will involve increasing the existing pavement thickness to cater for heavy vehicles, widening corners to improve safety for turning vehicles, installing an additional left hand turning lane on Farm Street for turning north onto Alexandra Street, new kerb and channel, concrete footpaths, additional drainage, and new asphalt surfacing.
"We will also be adding new indented concrete parking bays along Alexandra Street, near Cal's Snack Bar.
"The widening of the intersection also requires the relocation of traffic lights, existing power poles, and gas and telephone lines - which all involves quite a bit of work.
"Farm and Alexandra Street is part of the B-double heavy vehicle route and is used a lot by heavy vehicles which contributes to the deterioration of the road.
"This upgrade is future proofing the intersection for those heavy vehicles – with corners being widened to improve turning for heavy vehicles and the pavement itself being upgraded to 600mm thick to cope with the impact of these larger vehicles.
"With more development in the area and more heavy vehicles this intersection will only get busier which is why we need to make sure it can handle the increase in traffic and population going forward."
Divisional Councillor Donna Kirkland said the works have been broken up into three, more manageable stages as opposed to one full closure that would have more of an impact on road users.
"Due to the complexity of the works, we will be doing it in three stages with temporary road closures and traffic signage in place for each stage," Cr Kirkland said.
"It is really important that people follow our road signs and detours that are in place during these works. If possible, plan your journey so you can avoid this area during the road works to decrease congestion.
"We know this won't be possible for everyone though, so if you still need to use the area, we recommend allowing extra time to get to where you need to be and allow for detours.
"Anyone who uses this intersection will agree that it can be very busy, particularly during peak hours, and the upgrade to the intersection will go a long way in improving the safety and useability of the intersection for all.
"I know that local users of this intersection will be very pleased to see these works going ahead."
The road works will commence this month with closures starting in September and completion expected to be May 2023, subject to weather and site conditions.
