WA’s City of Melville Council has welcomed a Position Statement released by the Planning Institute of Australia (WA Division), that it does not support the planning and delivery of duck and dive road projects due to the wide-reaching impacts of these projects on community, economy, environment and place.
Main Roads WA (MRWA) has proposed several major duck and dive road constructions across Perth, including one along a four-kilometre stretch of Canning Highway, between Riseley Street and Canning Bridge including the Canning Bridge Activity Centre and surrounds.
The proposed duck and dive will take four lanes of regional through-traffic below-ground into two trenches via key intersections at Riseley Street in Applecross/Ardross, Reynolds Road and Sleat Road in Applecross/Mount Pleasant. The result will be eight lanes of traffic, four below ground in the trenched sections and four joining at grade (ground) level.
To better understand any adverse impacts on the community, the City of Melville Council commissioned two studies to consider both socio-economic, and movement and place impacts.
The reports indicated the duck and dive construction will have significant impacts for local communities and businesses by restricting movement, reducing connectivity, damaging livelihoods and environment, reducing investment and increasing pollution, Council said in a statement today.
It found that “the impacts will be severe during both the construction and operation phases of the duck and dive”.
“The City of Melville recognises that Canning Highway is a major regional transport corridor and has been engaging with Main Roads WA to advocate for investigating alternative options to achieve the best outcomes for our community, whilst also accommodating population growth and benefits for all users going forward,” the Council said.
Mayor, George Gear said the Council welcomed and agreed with the Planning Institute Australia’s (PIA) position to not support duck and dive road projects, due to the serious negative impacts on local communities.
“The City agrees with PIA’s position that the focus should be on solutions for moving people, not just moving cars,” said Mayor Gear.
“One of our key priorities is to deliver sustainable, innovative and appropriate community centred infrastructure, that enhances amenity and optimises liveability.
“As a Council we are deeply concerned about the impacts of such a significant construction running right through the heart of our local community, disconnecting them and impacting their quality of life and quality of place.
“The City commissioned two impact studies to assess and better understand potential socio-economic, and movement and place impacts. Both studies indicate major adverse impacts on our community not just during construction but also during its operation.
“We ask the State Government to commit to investigating alternative options to the proposed duck and dive through a consultative process with the City of Melville, its residents and businesses.
“Our focus at the City of Melville is on building communities, not just building roads, and we are asking for a solution that has less impact on our local residents and businesses, and is consistent with activity centre and community amenity outcomes,” he said.
View PIA’s Position Statement at www.planning.org.au/documents/item/12549.
For more about the proposed duck and dive, visit www.melvillecity.com.au/atcanningbridge.
