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The federal government has signed off on the first stage of light rail to Woden. It marks a crucial hurdle to getting work under way on the extension of the network from Alinga Street to Commonwealth Park. The ACT government referred the plans for the city to Woden light rail line to the federal government for environmental approval in August 2019. Stage 2A of the project was approved on Tuesday afternoon, with conditions imposed to protect the critically-endangered golden sun moth. Chief Minister Andrew Barr welcomed the federal government environmental approval. “This is an important milestone in progressing Stage 2 of light rail to Woden which will secure more than 1000 jobs,” he said. It will still require National Capital Authority and ACT Planning approval to progress. Mr Barr will on Wednesday announce $2.1 million will be included in next week’s budget for early design works on raising London Circuit, as part of the enabling works for the light rail project Construction to raise the road on either side of Commonwealth Avenue is expected to begin “as early as” 2021-22 and will take about two years to complete. It involves changing the current split-level, overpass-underpass configuration into a level intersection. The 2020-21 budget will also deliver funding to assess the benefits of extending light rail further from Woden to Mawson. READ MORE: Contracts to build and operate the next stage of light rail were due to be signed in mid-2020 but this has yet to occur. It also appears infeasible that the route will be operational, as previously suggested, by 2023. Stage 2B, which will run from Commonwealth Bridge to Woden, is still going through the environmental approvals process.
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The federal government has signed off on the first stage of light rail to Woden.
It marks a crucial hurdle to getting work under way on the extension of the network from Alinga Street to Commonwealth Park.
The ACT government referred the plans for the city to Woden light rail line to the federal government for environmental approval in August 2019.
Stage 2A of the project was approved on Tuesday afternoon, with conditions imposed to protect the critically-endangered golden sun moth.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr welcomed the federal government environmental approval.
“This is an important milestone in progressing Stage 2 of light rail to Woden which will secure more than 1000 jobs,” he said.
It will still require National Capital Authority and ACT Planning approval to progress.
Mr Barr will on Wednesday announce $2.1 million will be included in next week’s budget for early design works on raising London Circuit, as part of the enabling works for the light rail project
An artist’s impression of stage 2A of the Canberra light rail route showing tram stops in Civic. Picture: Supplied
Construction to raise the road on either side of Commonwealth Avenue is expected to begin “as early as” 2021-22 and will take about two years to complete.
It involves changing the current split-level, overpass-underpass configuration into a level intersection.
The 2020-21 budget will also deliver funding to assess the benefits of extending light rail further from Woden to Mawson.
Contracts to build and operate the next stage of light rail were due to be signed in mid-2020 but this has yet to occur.
It also appears infeasible that the route will be operational, as previously suggested, by 2023.
Stage 2B, which will run from Commonwealth Bridge to Woden, is still going through the environmental approvals process.
Canberra’s light rail stage two artists impressions. Picture: supplied
