Before 2040 we will see 2 large projects on William Hovell Drive. The duplication of William Hovell Drive will cost $63 million and is expected to be completed by 2026. Bindubi Street intersection will follow, cost $47 million, and be required before 2041. $110 million for William Hovell Drive – and it’s just the start of TCCS’ shopping list.
Contents
- Bindubi Street intersection
- William Hovell Drive duplication
Update 2 July 2022 William Hovell Drive DA released
Stepping found along the shared path
After the consultation in 2021, the William Hovell Drive Development Application (202138722) has been released again. The share path is steeper than the road with a maximum gradient of 7%. More worryingly, where this occurs, the path is design with short, alternate flat and steep sections (“stepping”). This will be experienced by the cyclist as bumps and will be particularly noticeable riding downhill.
Road infrastructure investment 2020-2040 (Molonglo era)
| Project | Funding (million) |
| John Gorton Drive Bridge | $176 |
| East West Arterial road and bridge | $228 |
| Bindubi Street / William Hovell Drive Interchange | $47 |
| William Hovell Drive Duplication | $63 |
| Monaroo Highway upgrade | $213 |
| Canberra South-West Corridor Upgrade | $100 |
Bindubi Street intersection
Bindubi Street will be extended into the heart of the new suburbs of Molonglo 3 East with grade separated interchange over William Hovell Drive. Traffic studies show William Hovell Drive will exceed capacity by 2041. Finally, we will need to find space at the intersection for the light rail.
Design questions
The following information is available from the Bindubi St-William Hovell Drive Feasibility Report, 9 July 2019. The emphasis of this article is cycle infrastructure. Light rail is also discussed.
The CBR Cycle Route C5 Belconnen to Tuggeranong follows Bindubi Street. The grade separated interchange will include a shared path to connect with the C5 which should make crossing William Hovell Drive safe for the cyclist. Within Molonglo 3 East, the shared bike path will continue south to the East West Arterial and west to Whitlam.
The light rail is an interesting case as the ACT Government has not committed to building it. Including light rail in the design of the intersection makes sense, as adding it later is difficult and expensive. Everything needs to be built light rail ready.
The route the light rail will take is undecided. Currently, the design is based on the assumption that the light rail will continue straight through to Belconnen. The Public Transport Association of Canberra would rather see it turn right towards Civic. Both are possible, but the bridge design will depend on this decision.
4.5 Typical (bridge) Cross Section
The typical cross section for BS and BSE consists of the following:
• BS dual carriageway
– 2 x 3.5 m wide traffic lanes for each carriageway
– 12 m wide median for future IPT (light rail)
– 2.5 m wide on-road cycle lane for each carriageway8 m wide verge for each carriageway which include provision for the following:
AECOM, Feasibility Study Report, Bindubi Street – William Hovell Drive Grade Separated Interchange, 19 July 2019, 27.
▪ 2.5 m wide shared path
▪ Street lighting
▪ Stormwater network
▪ Shared trench (presently a requirement for Evoenergy)
• BSE dual carriageway
Each bridge structure will carry two 3.5 m traffic lanes, a 2.5 m wide on-road cycle lane, a 1.0 m shoulder and a 2.5 – 3.0 m shared path. An allowance for an 8.6 m median infill bridge to be placed in the future to support light rail has been made. A medium performance level RCO barrier with a cycle rail has been provided at the edge of on-road cycle lane,
AECOM, Feasibility Study Report, Bindubi Street – William Hovell Drive Grade Separated Interchange, 19 July 2019, 44.
4.14.1 Early Works
The stormwater culvert crossing extensions, relocation and/or protection works of existing utilities are proposed to be undertaken in the early stage of works to ensure that these assets are protected or clear of the civil works. Relocation of BNT and Belconnen to City shared path is also proposed to be undertaken at this early stage of works.
AECOM, Feasibility Study Report, Bindubi Street – William Hovell Drive Grade Separated Interchange, 19 July 2019, 49.
Preliminary Cost Estimate
The preliminary cost estimate for the construction of the proposed grade-separated interchange is $47.8 million (GST Inclusive). A 40% contingency is added to the overall costs. Consultancy and management fees are excluded.
AECOM, Feasibility Study Report, Bindubi Street – William Hovell Drive Grade Separated Interchange, 19 July 2019, 58.
William Hovell Drive duplication
The plan to duplicate William Hovell Drive is planned and includes an off-road share path. Duplications are expensive projects that overwhelming benefit people who drive and bring few benefits for other transport modes. Included The shared bikepath between the roundabout on Drake Brockman Drive and the intersection with John Gorton Drive is included. The bikepath will be a strand asset, isolated and without connections to the CBR Cycle Routes. The following links are required.
- Whitlam and Belconnen along Coulter Drive
- From John Gorton Drive (JGD) and Bindubi Street along William Hovell Drive (proposed)
- Whitlam and Denman Prospect – requires JGD bridge (2025)
- Roundabout to Strathnairn along Drake Brockman Drive
- Roundabout and Ginninderra Drive along Kingsford Smith Drive.
The big problem: road duplications are driven by the needs of the road system and not the requirements of the cycling path network. The most needed investments in cycling path network are often beside a road that needs to be duplicated.
CBR Cycle Routes are a better investment
The top priority in Canberra is to build good and direct Principal Cycling routes between town centres for cycling commuting. We have a plan – CBR Cycle Routes – but lack the investment to fill the gaps and upgrade the network to this high standard. Strategic investment for active travel would redirect funds to CBR Cycle Routes. Read more here.
Related
The challenges of the topography in Molonglo 3 East and the staging of the Future Urban Area (FUA) is discussed here.
The East West Arterial / bridge and the C10 City to Molonglo Cycleway is discussed here.
The Molonglo 3 East Planning and Infrastructure Study and the reports written by the consultant WSP is discussed here.
The Molonglo 3 East Planning and Infrastructure Study and the reports written by the consultant RobertsDay is discussed here.
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