The ACT Government will upgrade a key intersection for accessing Canberra's CBD and Parliamentary Triangle to help improve traffic flows and commute times during the construction of Stage 2 of light rail to Woden.
"The ACT Government is undertaking significant preparation and planning to minimise the disruption associated with building light rail," said Minister for Transport and City Services Chris Steel.
"One of the actions we are proposing to the Commonwealth is to upgrade a well-known bottleneck in our road network; the Corranderk Street roundabout on Parkes Way.
"This roundabout currently has a dominant westbound flow of traffic in the morning causing major congestion for eastbound traffic coming into the City and the Parliamentary Triangle from areas like Belconnen and Tuggeranong."
The ACT Government is proposing to add traffic lights to the roundabout at the intersection of Parkes Way and Coranderrk Street to better regulate traffic flow and improve the capacity of the intersection.
This will mean it can support the greater volumes of traffic expected during the construction of light rail and the raising of London Circuit. It is planned the westbound turning lanes at the roundabout would also be extended to provide improved storage capacity at the new lights.
Network analysis indicates traffic will increase significantly on Parkes Way during the construction of light rail, as lane closures and works on Commonwealth Avenue see vehicles diverted via routes including Kings Avenue, the Tuggeranong Parkway and the Monaro Highway.
"Installing traffic lights to control the westbound right-turn movement from Parkes Way into Coranderrk Street will help cut delays at the intersection for faster and less frustrating commutes, " said Minister Steel.
"It is estimated an additional 250 eastbound vehicles will be able to exit Parkes Way onto Coranderrk Street to access the city each hour in the morning peak period during construction. This equates to a capacity increase of approximately 20 per cent, from 1,350 to 1,600 vehicles per hour.
"Installing traffic lights and road cameras also means we can monitor the intersection from the ACT's Traffic Management Centre, so we can adjust the timing of the lights in real time to optimise traffic flow."
The roundabout is a Commonwealth Government asset managed by the National Capital Authority (NCA), but the ACT Government has funded the upgrades in the 2021-22 ACT Budget.
The ACT Government's Disruption Taskforce identified these intersection works as a priority action for managing traffic disruption associated with light rail. The Taskforce is continuing to undertake analysis and planning work to identify more ways to help keep Canberrans moving during the construction period.
Design work for the improvements has commenced and will involve ongoing discussions with the NCA. Road users should expect some delays during construction, which is expected to get underway in the first half of 2022 (dependent on approvals). Works will be timed for completion in parallel with the start of major works to raise London Circuit.
As part of the broader light rail works the ACT Government is also planning to temporarily signalise the northern side of Vernon Circle to allow safe right-turn movements onto Constitution Avenue and London Circuit for buses and other vehicles heading northbound.
"Building light rail to Woden will provide more convenient and reliable transport options for people on the southside, helping prevent future traffic congestion and cut transport emissions," said Minister Steel.
"As we work to realise those benefits, we're being upfront with the community there will be disruption coming on our road network and we are undertaking significant preparation and planning to minimise that impact as much as possible.
"I can assure Canberrans this is only the first in a range of actions the ACT Government will be taking to manage the disruption and support our community through the construction period."
