PAVED WITH GOLD: The intersection at the corner of Forest Road and Jack Brabham Park is to be upgraded following a $4 million contribution from Cadia Valley Operations. Photo: LUKE SCHUYLER
By JANICE HARRIS
TRAFFIC delays at the intersection of Forest Road and Huntley and Sharp roads will be eased with the intersection to be reconstructed with the installation of lights following a $4 million contribution by Cadia Valley Operations (CVO).
The money is part of an $8 million allocation by the mining organisation to upgrade council’s road infrastructure affected by the Cadia East operation.
Orange City Council general manager Gary Styles said the money will be utilised to construct the southern feeder road and will include an upgrade of the intersection.
Cabonne and Blayney councils will also benefit from the contribution, being allocated $2 million each to upgrade roads in their areas which are under pressure from increased mine traffic.
This could include the Four Mile Creek turnoff which is in Cabonne and the resealing of the road to the mine itself which is in Blayney Council’s area.
“We have allocated funding in council’s management plan for the coming year to upgrade the Forest Road intersection and the southern feeder and the contribution from Cadia Valley Operations will be part of that,” Mr Styles said.
Mr Styles said in the next 12 months council will utilise funding once a new design is settled on for the area.
“But most likely we will be looking at the installation of lights,” he said.
The contributions from CVO is administered by the office of Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Brad Hazzard who made the decision on how the $8 million contribution to community would be split between the three councils.
It involves $3 million up front within the first three years and contributions of $238,000 each year for 21 years.
The contribution by CVO is part of the on-going contributions to local road infrastructure affected by mine traffic.
Mr Styles said the funding would not be used to upgrade Forest Road from the northern end of Brabham Park to the hospital.
In the past CVO has paid for the installation of the Kite and Peisley Street roundabout.
Janice.harris@ruralpress.com