NEW ROADS OFFICIALLY OPEN AT CANBERRA AIRPORT

The duplication of Pialligo Avenue between Beltana Road and Brindabella Circuit was officially opened today marking a key milestone in the airport roads upgrade, Chief Minister and Minister for Transport Jon Stanhope said.

The $15.5 million works were funded by the Canberra Airport - $8 million - and ACT Government - $7.5 million - and created 120 jobs over the life of the project. The road works were managed by the Capital Airport and "gifted" back to the ACT community as public roads.

"The two extra lanes on Pialligo Avenue will ease travel times for more than 30,000 drivers each weekday and improve access to the Canberra International Airport precinct," Mr Stanhope said. "The upgrades will also assist the economic development of the expanding airport precinct and provide many benefits to commuters using Pialligo Avenue.

"This project represents a true partnership between the Government and private sector. The ACT Government and the Canberra Airport have worked very successfully together to upgrade this crucial thoroughfare in Canberra's road network.

"At the end of the day what we have is an excellent result for ACT and regional motorists.

"The ACT Labor Government is getting on with the job of building critical road infrastructure to cut commuting times and improve business productivity in the ACT," Mr Stanhope said.

The Pialligo Avenue upgrade is the first of athree-stage road works program identified by an ACT Government Taskforce set up to examine traffic congestion in the airport precinct in 2006.

Stage two of the works,are currently being undertaken by the ACT Governmentand include the upgrade of Fairbairn Avenue between Morshead Drive and Pialligo Avenue. These worksinclude the conversion of the roundabout at the intersection of Fairbairn Avenue, Beltana Road and Pialligo Avenue to a signalised intersection.These works will be completed by September this year.

The third stage of works will improve access from the Monaro Highway to Majura Road and the Federal Government has committed $30 million towards these works in 2009-10.

The overall road works will result in the construction of over $65 million of road infrastructure funded by the ACT Government, the Federal Government and the Canberra Airport.