Transport study to investigate Sturt Highway future
A transport study is set to begin this month to investigate the Stuart Highway and plan for future transport capacity travelling into the Darwin CBD, through to 2030.
The study - from Bagot Road to McMinn Street – will help ensure the Northern Territory government makes sensible decisions on future growth, road capacity and road safety planning.
Minister for Transport Peter Styles said Darwin’s population was growing rapidly and the city was continuing to develop an informed infrastructure investment strategy to ensure responsible planning.
“The study will include input from local community and businesses, traffic modelling, future growth and development scenarios, public transport options and land use planning.
“It will look at the area that this section of road serves, both locally and the wider catchment.”
Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment Peter Chandler said objectives of the study included planning for traffic/transport through Stuart Park, providing high level service to commuter traffic, consideration of road safety, amenity, and the road being an entrance to the Darwin CBD.
“It is vital we cater for the needs of local businesses, improve local connectivity between residential areas and activity centres for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians and also take into consideration current and future needs of public transport.
“The outcome of the study is to ensure detailed development of transport infrastructure works for a range of future planning horizons.”
Community engagement will play a big part in the study, with consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff visiting businesses along the Stuart Highway from this month. The aim is to ensure key community issues are addressed and that there’s a broad understanding of how businesses use the Stuart Highway.
Regular updates will keep all parties across the project throughout the engagement process.
The consultants will later advise the government on future road and transport needs.
Named after explorer John McDouall Stuart - the first European to cross the continent in 1862 - the Stuart Highway runs 3,200 kilometres from Adelaide to Darwin. Its route covers the supposed route that he took.
It is known as ‘Explorer's Way’ or ‘The Track’ north from Port Augusta, covering vast, arid lands through Central Australia to the tropical Top End.
The Stuart Highway is bitumen all the way and intersects well known towns Woomera, Coober Pedy, Alice Springs and Katherine.