Criticism continues to overshadow the proposed Bunbury Outer Ring Road, with the latest Community Reference Group and stakeholder meetings revealing possible intersections for the project.
Long-term supporters of the project, City of Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan and Bunbury MLA Don Punch voiced their concerns regarding the northern entrance design and maintaining the primacy of Bunbury after seeing the proposed intersections last month.
However BORR project director Dominic Boyle maintains the project won’t remove any access to Bunbury.
“Travellers will be able to access this important destination – interchanges are proposed on Forrest Highway and Bussell Highway at either end of the project,” he said.
“A key criteria in the design of these interchanges is to maintain free flow access to Bunbury – vehicles will not have to stop at traffic lights or roundabouts to get to Bunbury.
“Bunbury will be prominently signed as a destination.”
Mr Boyle said the team had undertaken assessments to develop a range of options for the interchanges.
“The preferred options have been presented to directly impacted owners, Community Reference Groups and various stakeholders, including the City of Bunbury and Main Roads continues to consider any feedback received,” he said.
“It is proposed to refer the northern and central sections of the BORR to environmental regulators during the first quarter of 2019.”
Frustrated with the process and lack of input allowed, members of the Central and Northern Community Reference Group approached the Bunbury Mail last week to voice their anger.
Bunbury resident Brian Rettinger said the project was being designed on unrealistic assumptions based on alleged future population and port output numbers.
“These interchanges are being designed to meet assumed future expectations, and at the expense of our existing residents and local businesses,” he said.
Shire of Harvey resident Brian Hanson described it as a disgrace and demanded to know why the Transport Minister Rita Saffioti had not yet met with community members to hear their concerns.
Ms Saffioti said the project was a key election commitment due to the advocacy of the community to provide more efficient access for freight to the Bunbury Port.
“I visit Bunbury regularly and will be visiting again in the New Year, however, in the meantime I am getting regular feedback from the local members who are very engaged in the planning process,” she said.
