Not ‘dumb’: Pollies can’t claim credit for bypass backflip

‘All the politicians who are crowing at present, you’re on notice.’

Work crews conducting drilling to test the hardness of rock in preparation for tunnels on the Coffs Harbour Bypass.

WITH the Coffs bypass DA all but signed off, this letter writer has put politicians on notice for claiming the credit.

Jonathan Farrell from Coffs Harbour says voters are not dumb and they will remember that it was the huge community backlash which saw the inclusion of tunnels instead of cuttings in the final design.

Earlier this month the State Government gave the Coffs Harbour Bypass DA the tick of approval.

Now the development application is off to the Federal Government for that last vital piece of the approval puzzle.

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Amused at the crowing from politicians

I AM somewhat amused by the large number of politicians crowing about the fact the full duplication of the Pacific Highway is almost complete.

There is one extremely important section that they all like to quietly forget about, the Coffs Harbour bypass.

A virtual drive on the $1.2 billion Coffs Harbour Bypass.

They promised to have full duplication by the end of 2020?

Yes there is a four lane highway at Coffs Harbour, but it runs through the centre of town and a dozen traffic lights.

The bypass has been talked about for decades but politicians have ignored the Coffs Harbour community while spending money in more politically friendly areas.

What could be more important than building a bypass to divert the thousands of cars, campervans, trucks, etc. that pass through the middle of Coffs Harbour every day.

Coffs Harbour Bypass

If it's good enough for Kempsey, Macksville, Bulahdelah, Karuah, and all the other towns who have had bypasses built, then why not Coffs Harbour?

Yes, the government has announced they will build the Coffs Harbour bypass, but only after a huge community backlash against the bare-bones bypass that was originally announced.

Even so, it's not likely to be completed until 2024 (the web site is suspiciously quiet about this).

So, all the politicians who are crowing at present, you're on notice. The community is not dumb. We will remember your false promises and claims at the next election.

Jonathan Farrell

Coffs Harbour