Federal MP begins lobbying effort for NSW Government to upgrade Wakehurst Parkway
It’s one of our most notorious roads, regularly closed by floods and head-on prangs. Now there’s a new push for the NSW Government to upgrade the Wakehurst Parkway.
Manly
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Lobbying efforts have begun to push the NSW Government into floodproofing and widening one of the northern beaches most “grossly inadequate” roads — the Wakehurst Parkway.
In the wake of the weekend’s damaging storms, when the arterial road was flooded for more than 48 hours, Federal Liberal MP for Mackellar Jason Falinski is urging the NSW Government to immediately launch a feasibility study into the proposed upgrade.
And Mr Falinski suggested NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance ask the Federal Government for $5 million to pay for it.
He wrote yesterday to Mr Constance, pointing out that the Parkway, which is regularly closed by flooding and major road accidents, connects the upper northern beaches to the Northern Beaches Hospital.
Once a feasibility study, or business case is completed, the NSW Government can then seek more Commonwealth money to pay for the upgrade, the MP told the Manly Daily.
Mr Falinski said he has spoken with Federal Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge who indicted to him that funding for the study was available through the Commonwealth’s $4 billion Urban Congestion Fund.
Mr Falinski pointed out that if the road widening went ahead the NSW Government would not have to buy any private property because the road corridor is already reserved.
He suggested that the upgrade would cost between $20m and $60m, depending on what engineering work was needed.
“The recent storms demonstrate we really need to move on this,” he said.
“We need to look at the management of the lagoon, but we also need to look at the long term management solutions, which are the widening and upgrading of Wakehurst Parkway, especially to fit in with the Beaches Link tunnel.”
In his letter to the NSW Transport Minister Mr Falinski said residents had repeatedly asked for the road to be widened and flood proofed.
“At present it is a two-way road that is grossly inadequate to cope with the volume of traffic it receives,” he told Mr Constance.
“Following the recent storms, when thousands were without power and evacuated from their homes, Wakehurst Parkway was closed, disconnecting the quickest route for residents to get to their nearest hospital.
“I implore you to launch, as soon as possible, a feasibility study into the widening and floodproofing of Wakehurst Parkway.”
Transport for NSW said it had alreay contributed to a study carried out by Northern Beaches Council to assess options to reduce the flooding of Wakehurst Parkway.
“Northern Beaches Council has developed a number of options from this study and is working with Transport for NSW on funding options to progress with the project,” a Transport spokesman said.