Nocturnal parkway closures

Here’s an interesting comparison:

Sydney’s M5 East Freeway took 3 years to complete – including over 4km of tunnels.
Canberra’s GDE was started in 2003, is still not finished and has zero tunnels.

I’ll let you draw your own conclusions on the competency of those involved.

Seriously, how bad is the GDE?

This in itself should be enough to keep the ALP in opposition for the next ten years.

Except that the current opposition are a buch of useless numpties.

Yep, Both local and federal we have no damn choice…

Well, as I have said before, we do, Socialist, Communist, and the bloody missing link!

(I do find humor in Mr.Rabbit’s strong religous views, considering he proves evolution by the fact he is not quite done yet!)

Growling Ferret said :

GDE – By the time its finished, you will be dead

Also a good slogan!

I had assumed the slip lane connecting back to the Parkway/GDE was there for the benefit of traffic merging from Lady Denman Drive/The Arboretum. However, on my last few trips I’ve noticed that there is now a concrete median which appears to force this traffic around onto William Hovell Drive.

It may be that there is a second lane coming from Lady Denman that would be on the Parkway side of this median, but I haven’t been able to look for it yet (you know, what with trying to drive and all that).

yellowsnow said :

Wow, finally progress. I haven’t seen a worker on that stretch of road for weeks if not months. Seriously, how long does it take?

On a related topic — anyone know why, when heading from Tuggeranong Pkwy citybound / north through Glenloch, there are two lanes to the right for people to head north onto GDE. Then there’s a lane to the left for those exiting to go to Belconnen, and a lane heading straight for those going to the city on Parkes Way. OK, so far so good. But — wait for it — then suddenly there’s ANOTHER lane exiting to the left for people heading north on GDE to Gungahlin.

Can anyone enlighten me why the road design includes two possible options for people going up GDE, with a total of three lanes? Do they think that a huge number people will miss the well signposted initial turnoff, and so have catered for these unalert or geographically challenged folk with another (presumably v expensive) opportunity to exit?

What’s the logic behind this arrangement? Were the roadplanners so confused by the spaghettilike layout of Glenloch that they accidentally added another offramp without noticing? Or is this only a temporary arrangement, destined to make sense when construction is finally completed (at this rate, 2018?).

Oh what a short memory. Before the 2 northbound through lanes were completed this was the through lane. You would think they would close that to simplify the road design, but it doesn’t look like that will be the plan, it looks like that old road will go through and then be joined with the turn off Parkes Way, with a merge down the road and then another merge when it gets to the main road. Guess if ever there is heavy congestion further up the road it will provide a ‘short cut’ for those that want to get 10 cars ahead.

The turn off the Tuggeraning Parkway onto William Hovell is also a bit of a shit fight that should have been fixed. Rather than keeping the existing alignment they probably should have redone it, specifically having the traffic merge well before the Bindubi turn. As it is in the afternoon that merge section can get a bit messy, especially with cars wanting to turn at Bindubi, what they do is drive slow in the left waiting for a gap in the right, which in turn slows everything behind into a near stop. If the road ran as 3 lanes from closer to Glenlock with the option to change lanes it would negate this somewhat.

GDE – By the time its finished, you will be dead

luther_bendross said :

I feel the following statement sums up general sentiment here:

The GDE and Glenloch are both completely f**ked.

I dunno…

I have driven on pleanty of f****d roads, and they were much better!

Theres’ a new slogan they can use “GDE; It makes other roads seem great!”

luther_bendross said :

I feel the following statement sums up general sentiment here:

The GDE and Glenloch are both completely f**ked.

Sort of…

….I have driven on pleanty of roads that were compleatly f**ked, and I can tell you now, they were a hell of a lot better than the bloody GDE!

Maybe the Govt. could make that there next sales pitch for it: “At least it makes other roads look good”

I feel the following statement sums up general sentiment here:

The GDE and Glenloch are both completely f**ked.

Growling Ferret said :

I’m wondering if the rubbish chipseal from Bruce Stadium to the Barton Highway is the finished surface – its potholed, rough and shot to pieces already.

And who had the bright idea to close Caswell drive to one lane each way whilst doing 9/10’s of nothing on the two little bridges just east of Aranda?

Tell me they have finished with the work on those two small bridges………………….