Fed: ACT section of Federal Highway upgrade completed

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2000
Fed: ACT section of Federal Highway upgrade completed

CANBERRA, April 10 AAP - The ACT section of the $200 million-plus upgrade of the Federal
Highway was due to be officially opened today.

ACT Urban Services Minister Brendan Smyth said the completion of the ACT stretch of
the highway duplication was the largest single road project in the territory for almost
a decade.

"The ACT now has a road that all its residents can be proud of, with the old highway
being transformed into a high quality, four lane road between Stirling Avenue and the
Sutton Interchange," Mr Smyth said.

The duplication took 14 months to complete and was finished three months ahead of schedule.

"When considered with the $128 million Lake George duplication, also funded by the
federal government, the total cost of work to convert the highway to continuous four lanes
between Canberra and Goulburn exceeds $200 million," Mr Smyth said.

During the construction of the upgrade efforts were taken to minimise the impact on
the landscape and Mr Smyth said about four times as many trees were planted than were
lost.

AAP eg/pjs

KEYWORD: HIGHWAY

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