The Penrith community is a step closer to seeing work start on the highly anticipated Dunheved Road Upgrade after the Ordinary Meeting of Penrith City Council endorsed the awarding of the tender for site investigation, concept and detailed design.
Following a competitive tender process, Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd has been awarded the $1,737,314 (ex GST) tender for the initial stage of works.
With a $127 million commitment secured by Federal Member for Lindsay Melissa McIntosh, the Dunheved Road transformation is set to alleviate traffic and improve safety along the corridor, between Richmond Road and the Werrington Road/Christie St intersection.
Penrith Mayor Karen McKeown OAM thanked Ms McIntosh and the Australian Government through its Urban Congestion Fund for responding to the community's urgent need to have an integral part of the local road network improved.
"As our LGA grows so does the need for better transport infrastructure, so we can accommodate the community and business needs by making it easier to move around the City," Cr McKeown said.
"Council has advocated for improvements to Dunheved Road as we experience higher traffic volumes and gridlock at various points along the road.
"Parents trying to get their children to school or sporting commitments, or residents racing against the clock to get to work are just some of the frustrations expressed by the community on a regular basis."
"On behalf of Council and the community, I want to thank the Federal Member for Lindsay Melissa McIntosh, for actioning this desperate requirement for our City. I am especially thankful for her work in achieving the full funding of the project and hearing residents' concerns to get this major project underway."
Federal Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh, said she is determined to see her election commitment to upgrade Dunheved Road get underway.
"With the support of our community, I worked hard to secure the full $127 million to upgrade Dunheved Road. We started with my community petition and have brought local families and business voices together to deliver this important upgrade," Ms McIntosh said.
"For so many local businesses, this upgrade means new opportunities to get products and services across our community and beyond. For local people, it means spending less time in traffic and more time at home with your family."
"Now, it's about delivering the best outcomes for our community, easing congestion and improving safety, and this is an important step in the process."
Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP said the Australian Government is investing around $4 billion through the Urban Congestion Fund, to reduce congestion in urban areas.
"Funding supports upgrades to the urban road network to reduce congestion and ensure commuters get home sooner and safer," Minister Fletcher said.
"This project is expected to improve community access and contribute to safety and efficiency for road users in this area."
With more than 12 months of work expected for the initial design phase, construction on the Dunheved Road Upgrade is anticipated to start in early 2023.
