The missing link between Kuringa Drive and Barton Highway has been discussed since at least 2016 and now tied with an intersection upgrade. Construction was not started until 2021. ACT Labor’s promises are worth little if nothing gets done over the parliamentary term.
Missing links
Missing links describe gaps in the cycling network and those gaps can be quite short. Adding another 100 m of path, connecting two other bike paths, makes a network. Without this short link, a cyclist may need to ride a much greater distance.
Filling the gap and building a cycling path to form a network does not need to be expensive but it adds a lot of value to the stakeholder. The benefit of fixing the missing link far exceeds the construction costs as it makes the whole path network more attractive to cyclists. More people exercising = more people engaging in healthy habits!
ACT Labor promised to build several missing links at the 2016 ACT Election. There are many missing links in the ACT cycling network.
Kuringa Drive
Update 31 December 2021 Kuringa Drive bike path
New Years is just hours away and Kuringa Drive cycle path has still not been opened. The ends were blocked and signed for pedestrians as closed. These obstructions were torn down again by frustrated pedestrians/cyclists. The Kuringa Drive cycle path was promised to be finished in the last electoral term. Over a year after the ACT Election, we are still waiting for the official opening. ACT Transport is slow, we know that, prone to make the same errors again and again. Here is yet another example of how cyclist left behind in the dust of motor vehicle priorities. ACT Transport have done little for cycling in 2021. Although, the intersection was sealed and opened in a single weekend in June, 6 months later cyclist are left to wait for the bike path to open. ACT Transport is really rather ordinary. 😦
Update 24 November 2021 Kuringa Drive bike path
With a year delay, the Kuringa Drive cycle path is finally here. An impatient cyclist has ridden down the tape to mark the lack of any official opening. The Kuringa Drive shortens the ride from West Belconnen to West Gungahlin by many kilometres. Consider the loop ride by Kuringa Drive, Horse Park Drive, and back to Gundaroo Drive.
Update 14 September 2021 Kuringa Drive bike path
The surfacing of the bike path has begun. The line marking will follow. After that the path will remain closed for some time while mysterious administrative business is finalised. At some point, a cyclist will become impatient and tear down the tape, unofficially opening the path. We can expect the official opening much later after that, if at all. This is the TCCS way. We should note, that 3 months after the intersection was finished, we still do not have a completed bike path.
Update 16 July 2021 Kuringa Drive intersection
The signalisation of Kuringa Drive and Owen Dixon Drive has been completed. The works crew has packed up and left. Unfortunately, the bike path along Kuringa Drive has yet to be completed. Hopefully, it will be finished soon.
Upgrading an intersection on Owen Dixon Drive – 2020-21 ACT Budget Outlook
| 2020-21 $’000 | 2021-22 $’000 | 2022-23 $’000 | 2023-24 $’000 | Total $’000 | |
| Capital | 2,000 | 8,000 | 0 | 0 | 10,000 |
| Depreciation | 0 | 0 | 133 | 133 | 266 |
| Expenses | 0 | 0 | 100 | 300 | 400 |
| Net cost of services | 0 | 0 | 233 | 433 | 666 |
The Government will further improve the north-south arterial road, between the Barton Highway and Ginninderra Drive by including a signalised intersection at Owen Dixon Drive.
- Status update 11 October 2020: in planning.
- Opened: The construction is yet to start.
- Visual appearance: Apart from a sign announcing the project nothing has changed.
- Scope: The signalisation of the intersection is paid for in part by the Federal Government and will make the intersection safer. Apart from that nothing has changed from the original proposal. The signalisation of the intersection does not in any way increase the length of the bike path. It will not connect at Dixon Drive to other bike paths.
Kuringa Drive off-road bike path between Barton Highway in the north and Kingsford Smith Drive in the south is coming but still in planning. It provides an important connection between the western suburbs of Belconnen and Gungahlin. Kuringa Drive crosses CSIRO Commonwealth land. The development of this land was blocked by the ACT Government.
2004 Bike path on Kuringa drive
Kuringa Drive has a long history going back to 2004 and possibly earlier. At the Belconnen public consultation, 16 February 2004, for the (ACT) Ten Year Master Plan Trunk Cycling and Walking Path Infrastructure 2004, a bike path was requested along Kuringa Drive from Barton Highway to Tillyard Drive, Fraser.
18 years later, only half the length is completed between Barton Highway and Owen Dixon Drive. The section half is not currently planned between Kuringa Drive and Tillyard Drive. It took us 18 years to build 1.3 km of bike path.
Recent history
ACT Labor promised much at the last ACT Election and a great many of the project have still not been completed. The same projects have been rolled out again for this election. They do not seem in any hurry to get it done.
“Labor would also spend $6 million across the city on road resealing. It says a million square metres of roads were resurfaced on its watch last year. It would schedule intersection upgrades at Kuringa Drive and Owen Dixon Drive (Belconnen); Southern Cross Drive and Starke Street (Belconnen); Belconnen Way and Springvale Drive (Belconnen)…”
William Slim Drive duplication leads list of road promises, The RiotACT, 30 September 2016
The history of projects slipping can be seen even in this year on the ACT Government website for the Kuringa Drive/Owen Dixon Drive intersection signalisation. Projects are rarely finished on time.
Accessed 25/6/2020
“Construction
Expected start date: mid 2020
Expected completion date: late 2020″Accessed 12/10/2020
“Construction
Kuringa Drive/Owen Dixon Drive intersection signalisation, ACT Govenment
Expected start date: late 2020
Expected completion date: mid 2021″
Bicentennial National Trail
Bicentennial National Trail passes through this area between Charnwood and Hall. It runs along quite some distance along Kuringa Drive. There is a bit of a detour to cross Owen Dixon Drive.
Riding the Bicentennial National Trail is permitted but the surface is dirt like this or grass (sometimes uncut) along the most of its length.
The intersection
Kuringa Drive and Owen Dixon Drive intersection itself has not changed.
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