By Stephen Linnell
A $4 MILLION road and bridge extension between Morris Rd and Leakes Rd will form the centrepiece of Wyndham Council’s $50 million-plus capital works budget, to be released next week.
The bridge and road link is designed to ease traffic congestion on Sayers Rd.
The dual-carriage extension will include a $1.7 million bridge over Skeleton Creek, linking residents from Tarneit and Hoppers Crossing to the developing suburb of Truganina. The two-year project is expected to begin later this year and be completed by 2010.
“This is a significant project for this City,” Wyndham mayor Kim McAliney told Star.
She said the link between Morris and Leakes roads would usher cars off Sayers Rd and onto Leakes Rd.
Leakes Rd cost the council $8.9 million, funded primarily from developer contributions.
Responsibility for Leakes Rd is set to be handed over to the State Government, which plans to turn it into a six-lane carriageway, making it one of the primary feeder roads into Wyndham.
“We were initially looking at duplication of Sayers Rd but that alone is not going to achieve the bigger picture result,” Cr McAliney said.
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“We need to get the traffic off Sayers Rd and onto Leakes Rd.”
Traffic on Sayers Rd declined slightly since the opening of Leakes Rd in 2006.
But it has increased again. In 2007, more than 21,600 vehicles travel on the section between Morris and Marquands roads every day.
The council will release full details of the 2008-09 budget on 2 June.
The public will have the opportunity to make formal written submissions, which will be considered by the council.
The budget will then be reviewed before being formally adopted in late June.
Previously, public meetings were held independently from the ordinary council meeting where the proposed budget was adopted.
Cr McAliney said public input was a vital part of the budget process.
“The public meeting gives residents the opportunity to hear the details of the proposed budget and capital works projects for the 2008-09 financial year,” she said.
“The submission process provides residents with an opportunity to have a say in how their rates are spent and provides a valuable forum to let council know the requirements of the community.”
