Dunns Creek Road: cycling connections need a place in the decision
Walking and cycling connections deserve close scrutiny as Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council considers the future of Dunns Creek Road this week.
An extraordinary council meeting on 21 October will consider community feedback on options for the proposed connection from Old Cooma Road towards Tralee and the ACT. Councillors will be asked whether to proceed and, if so, which route should go forward for further consultation.
The options extend beyond building a new road. Council’s review also considers upgrades to the existing network, including widening and intersection changes around Old Cooma Road and Jerrabomberra. Alternatives for Jerrabomberra Circle include traffic signals and an overpass.
Those choices have consequences for people riding through the area. Any proposal to widen roads or rebuild intersections should explain how existing cycling routes would be maintained, where riders would cross and how missing connections could be completed.
That information belongs in the assessment of each option. It helps residents understand whether a proposal would make their journey safer, create a new obstacle or leave an existing problem unresolved.
The growing communities around Googong, Jerrabomberra and Tralee need more opportunities to make local trips by bike. Connections towards Hume and the ACT also require cooperation across the border, so a path delivered by one authority joins a usable route on the other side.
Pedal Power wants walking and cycling included in the design, costing and delivery of whichever transport works proceed. Existing paths should be protected, and opportunities to close gaps should be identified before designs are settled.
The initial consultation closed on 6 October. Council advises that, if it decides to proceed, further consultation on a preferred option is planned from 22 October to 7 December.
