Footpath work starts for controversial $40m Jetty Rd upgrade at Glenelg as stormwater works finish

Daytime construction on the $40m Jetty Rd upgrade has started, with new, specially chosen pavers being laid along the so-called ‘city zone’.

Work has kicked off in earnest on the controversial $40m Jetty Rd upgrade, with new footpaths being installed from Monday.

Construction workers are installing Juperana pavers in the ‘city zone’ section, between Brighton Rd heading west to the Partridge and Gordon streets intersection. The pavers have been chosen for their resilience and cleanability.

The city zone has been divided into small construction zones to enable a staged approach so Jetty Rd can operate as normal as possible.

An artist's impression of the Jetty Road, Glenelg upgrade. Photo: Holdfast Bay Council

The first stage of the project – a $246,000 drainage upgrade in the city zone – was completed in November to extend the life of the stormwater infrastructure for 100 years, Holdfast Bay Council said.

Council said the completed night works would lower the risk of pooling water and flooding of Jetty Rd’s roadway, car parks and footpaths.

Jetty Rd construction phases are divided into three zones, with work focusing on the city zone first.

The construction phases of the Jetty Road, Glenelg upgrade are divided into three zones. Photo: Holdfast Bay Council

The announcement of the Jetty Road upgrade last year sparked a war of words between Holdfast Bay Council and two ratepayer groups, with then-opposition leader David Speirs telling council to “pull its head in” in July as he sided with residents.

5049 Coastal Community Association president David Cruickshanks-Boyd last year surveyed nearly 1400 locals and found 92 per cent were against it.

Holdfast Bay Residents Alliance member Ken Daly last year said he was not against the upgrade, but the inevitable debt set to hit ratepayers was “too much”.

The project has $10m in federal funds, and council will borrow the rest, whacking ratepayers with a 2.3 per cent levy over three years – on top of the CPI increase.

An artist's impression of Chapel Street Plaza after the Jetty Road, Glenelg upgrade. Photo: Holdfast Bay Council

Mayor Amanda Wilson last year conceded the project required “a significant contribution from ratepayers”, adding the decision was in the “best interests of our whole community”.

The revamp of the 1km stretch of road aims to improve carparking, public transport and shopping, and the dining and entertainment sectors.

In December, the council appointed its first female CEO, Pamela Jackson.

The upgrade is expected to be complete in 2027.

Originally published as Footpath work starts for controversial $40m Jetty Rd upgrade at Glenelg as stormwater works finish