The Friends of the Gelorup Corridor Inc want the community to know that the southern section of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road has not been finalised.
The proposed southern alignment of the road would see it go through the suburb of Gelorup and connect back up to the Bussell Highway from Centenary Road.
The Friends of the Gelorup Corridor Inc have been against the route since the federal government provided $850 million to the project in 2018 and said the environmental damage would be huge.
The aim of the road is to ease traffic congestion on the Forrest Highway around Bunbury and provide easier access to the Bunbury Port for freight.
The project is also expected to produce around 4500 jobs.
In 2018 the state government underwent an investigation into the southern alignment as well as looking at alternative routes.
As a result of the investigation, the original route proposal was chosen as the best option which transport minister Rita Saffioti announced in June 2019.
She said a forensic examination of both the existing corridor and alternative routes took place before the decision was made.
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Ms Saffioti said they had also sought to adjust the alignment so it does not impact the tuart tree in Gelorup, which the community has shown is a local treasure.
Main Roads WA spokesperson Dean Roberts previously told the Mail that only one route was submitted for approval to the authority after the investigation confirmed the southern alignment was the most suitable.
Environmental Protection Authority chairman Dr Tom Hatton said in October 2019 it would investigate after receiving more than 600 submissions.
The decision was made by Dr Hatton after he determined the proposal's plan to clear 98 hectares of flora and vegetation had the potential to impact threatened ecological communities and inland waterways.
It underwent a eight week public review and the authority is yet to make a decision on the southern alignment.
However, construction on the northern section of the road has begun which the Friends of the Gelorup Corridor Inc said gave the perception that the fight was over.
Main Roads WA have also set up a centrally located community hub to allow people to see everything they need to know about the Bunbury Outer Ring Road project.
The Outer Ring Road team are at Bunbury's Maker + Co Collective on Victoria Street, from Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturdays 10am - 1pm. People can also access information at mainroads.wa.gov.au/projects-initiatives/projects/regional/bunbury-outer-ring-road
Jemillah Dawson
I started as a journalist in 2011 and now manage mastheads in the South West of WA. My passion is politics and sport. I believe we are the voice for the community but also we inform the community of what they need to know. Email jemillah.dawson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
I started as a journalist in 2011 and now manage mastheads in the South West of WA. My passion is politics and sport. I believe we are the voice for the community but also we inform the community of what they need to know. Email jemillah.dawson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
