Orange councillor Chris Gryllis has said the Northern Distributor Road’s closure has provided evidence of the need for the bypass.
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The eastern section of the bypass between Icely Road and the Mitchell Highway was closed on April 21 as work to upgrade and improve the surface took place.
However, delays caused by falling temperatures meant the closure will be extended.
Cr Gryllis said heavy traffic on Summer Street was a reminder of what used to be funnelled through the city’s main street each day.
“It’s evidence of how Summer Street used to be,” Cr Gryllis said.
Since 1962, Cr Gryllis has worked between Peisley and McNamara streets and watched the arrival of traffic lights and the changes from angle to parallel parking.
“Traffic was unbearable until about 5.5 years ago with the completion of the bypass,” he said.
“The benefits of creating the Northern Distributor have been enormous.”
Cr Gryllis said some people had forgotten how the distributor had improved traffic in Summer Street.
He said the idea for the bypass was first floated nearly 35 years ago and council resolved to build it almost 10 years ago.
“Council staff are striving to get the possible job done,” he said.
“If you travel up and down highways you’ll see issues, how often while travelling do you not see repairs and maintenance happening?”
Mayor John Davis said before the closure of the bypass, more than 14,000 traffic movements had been recorded in one day on William Maker Drive.
“Thousands of cars a day are using the bypass, and if it wasn’t there, these are the cars that would be spread across other main streets around Orange,” Councillor Davis said.
Cr Davis said the bypass was closed on April 21 so contractors could apply a ‘primer’ hot mix seal.
“That seal required three days to set and cure and that stage of the upgrade has now been completed,” he said.
“The next stage of applying two layers of a bitumen-gravel road surface requires warmer temperatures than Orange has experienced in recent days, so the closure has had to be extended for a couple of days.”
Cr Davis said the warmer temperatures needed were expected Sunday, if all goes to plan, one lane of the bypass will be re-opened on Monday.
Cr Gryllis said he wanted to see the southern feeder road completed next.
“It’s the next step, given the opportunity to get some grants from state and federal governments, we’re actively seeking funding. I would like to think in the next few years, we’ll get those funds and complete it.”