Bypass opening will see reinvention of Ballina, says Page
The opening of the second stage of the Ballina Bypass will see the reinvention of the town, Member for Ballina Don Page said in Parliament yesterday.
“The opening of the second stage of the bypass project will see the Pacific Highway traffic bypass Ballina, which, on balance will be a positive change for the town,” Mr Page said.
“I acknowledge the Ballina bypass, whilst improving traffic conditions in Ballina, could also mean a period of adjustment for retailers and businesses.
“However, other towns that have successfully been bypassed, including Bangalow and Bowral, have become ‘destinations’ in their own right.
“One of the serious challenges for our community with the bypass opening will be to educate people that Ballina is Ballina by the sea! I’ve been surprised at how many people from outside of the region don’t realise Ballina is by the sea.
“I encourage Northern Rivers Tourism, the Council and the Chamber of Commerce to highlight what is well-known to locals but not necessarily known to motorists and some visitors – that Ballina has beautiful beaches and a great river for fishing and boating. It’s a great place for a coastal holiday.
“I believe we need to make the most of our natural assets; market them well to people living in Sydney and elsewhere.
“The opening of the bypass will save lives, save travel time, reduce congestion in Ballina and reduce pollution. It’s the biggest single infrastructure investment in the electorate to date.
“We have been waiting a long time for this road to be built. Major construction work on the project started in 2008.”
The project cost $640 million and, when completed, will be a four-lane divided carriageway stretching 12km from Ross Lane in the north to the intersection of the Bruxner Highway and Pacific Highway in the south. This is expected to reduce travel times by up to 12 minutes and take all through traffic out of Ballina.
During its construction it created 3880 jobs and been a huge boost to the local economy, Mr Page said.
The bypass openeing will be marked with a fun day at the Teven bridges on Sunday, November 27, from 9am until 2pm.
There will be community stalls, market stalls, entertainment, food, and an official ceremony at 10.30am.
