$2 million upgrade headed for Sydney Street and River Street intersection
The project is imperative to provide an improved pedestrian and cycling link, particularly for the Bluewater Trail.
Mackay
Don't miss out on the headlines from Mackay. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The pieces are beginning to fall into place for the overhaul of the Mackay CBD with a $2 million upgrade of a busy intersection.
Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson said the Sydney and River Street intersection would form an important part of the Mackay Waterfront Priority Development Area.
“The project is imperative to provide an improved pedestrian and cycling link, particularly for the Bluewater Trail, and to connect pedestrians from the City Centre across Sydney Street to the Riverside precinct,’’ Cr Williamson said.
“It will significantly improve amenity and safety in the location by incorporating wider footpaths, improved lighting, landscaping and shortened crossing wait times.”
Cr Williamson said the council had developed draft plans and was working with Transport and Main Roads to refine the concept.
“Sydney Street is a state-controlled road and we’re currently in negotiations with Main Roads about the importance of the project,’’ he said.
“We’re also in discussions with the department about shared funding.”
The council hoped to begin the intersection upgrade in 2022, dependent on TMR agreeing on shared funding.
Meanwhile, the design for the public realm area between Paxton’s and the Fish Market in the PDA’s Riverside precinct is being finalised with construction expected to start later this year.
A stockpile of recycled timber salvaged from the demolition of the former Seafresh shed will be repurposed in the design.
The council has applied for $9.1 million in federal funding for the project under round five of the Building Better Regions Fund.
More stories:
Mackay prime to lure multimillion-dollar research clinic
Developers back ‘ catalytic‘ riverfront vision for Mackay
Speaking at a think tank to rejuvenate Mackay’s city centre on Friday, Cr Williamson said realising the PDA was a “long process”.
“We had to amalgamate three planning schemes in 2016, that took a year,” he said.
“We had to actually deliver a PDA over a very large area, that took another year.
“Then we had to deliver the engineering and planning management overlay and that was another year.
“People say, ‘Well why can’t these things happen tomorrow?’
“Well, it’s the machinery of government that you’ve got to get through and if you don’t tick all those boxes, it will all fall in a heap.”
Read more stories about the Waterfront Priority Development Area.
Subscriber benefits:
How to activate your free Courier-Mail subscription
How to get Daily Mercury news straight to your inbox
Originally published as $2 million upgrade headed for Sydney Street and River Street intersection
Why cattle killer shot two pregnant cows
A father of four splitting his time between the mines and his own farm faced court for shooting and killing two cattle. See what tipped him over the edge.
Mum turned ‘blind eye’ to illegal romance involving 15yo child
He lavished her with gifts, told her he loved and wanted to marry her and was even paying off a ring. But she was an underage teen and he was twice her age. Now he’s a convicted child sex offender.