Gungahlin Drive Extension

The Gungahlin Drive Extension (GDE) is a major road project that has recently been completed in Canberra, Australia. The GDE is a 9 kilometre road linking the Barton Highway to the Tuggeranong Parkway at Glenloch Interchange. The total road is 16.2km in length, with a speed limit of 80km/h, extending from the previously existing Gungahlin Drive in the district of Gungahlin down to the Glenloch Interchange to connect with Parkes Way and the Tuggeranong Parkway. While the project has now been completed as planned, the majority of the road consists of only a single lane in each direction. Plans are already underway to duplicate the road to two lanes in each direction.

The Gungahlin Drive Extension project had its genesis in planning that emphasised the motor car as the primary means of travel in Canberra. This philosophy is shown in planning studies dating from the 1960s.

In 1991, the ACT Liberal Government began consultations for a John Dedman Parkway project, which would have gone from the Barton Highway to Belconnen Way. This project was subsequently renamed the Gungahlin Drive Extension, with the road proceeding to the Glenloch Interchange.

This Gungahlin Drive Extension route and the Majura Road upgrading (between the Monaro Highway and Federal Highway), are two transport routes that are on the drawing board as north-south routes. Some consider the GDE route as a crucial link in Canberra's transport network while others consider it a white elephant and support other transport alternatives, such as light rail between Gungahlin and Civic.

The ACT Labor Government won election in 2001 promising a GDE alignment that would travel west of the Australian Institute of Sport AIS. However, the Commonwealth Government's National Capital Authority decided in December 2002 to support an alignment east of the AIS as the preferred route. On January 16 2003 the ACT Government fell in with the NCA and decided to investigate options for an Eastern Alignment for GDE in the vicinity of the AIS, as well as reviewing options for the alignment in the Aranda Precinct.

The road is designed to be easily duplicated to a four lane capacity should future requirements requite it.

Protests

Ever since the Gungahlin Drive Extension was made public, there have been protests in order to stop or delay work on the road. The main protests have come from a group called Save The Ridge. This group has been angry about the destruction of the flora and fauna that would occur with the extension running through the Bruce / O'Connor Ridge. Meanwhile, another group called GDE Now! was formed, with a slogan 'Pave the Ridge'.

In 2004 Save The Ridge had a legal victory with the ACT Government in relation to local planning laws. The ACT Government then passed a new law with the purpose to over-ride further legal challenges at the local level.

In 2005 Save The Ridge took the ACT Government and the National Capital Authority to the Federal Court of Australia in a further effort to have the project shut down. In September 2005 the Federal Court ruled in favour of the NCA and the ACT Government to give the go-ahead for the project to resume.

On the 10th of December 2006, during Stage 1 of the GDE opening, Save The Ridge again protested against the road, and called for an immediate halt to the rest of the construction taking place. They called the GDE "one of the most expensive non tunnelled single lane roads per kilometre in Australia's history."

ee also

*Freeways in Australia
*Freeways in Canberra

External links

* [http://www.gde.act.gov.au Gungahlin Drive Extension Website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm5jqJTvQws Video of the extension (Barton Hwy to Belconnen Way)]
* [http://www.savetheridge.org.au/ Save The Ridge]
* [http://www.gcc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=99999999 Work on GDE can restart:ruling]