Wagga residents who have spent years lobbying for a heavy vehicle bypass have been shocked to learn the interim findings of a major traffic study indicate there is little need for the project.
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The Rural Ratepayers' Association was told by the Roads and Maritime Services south west NSW director, via a letter, that a study had shown there was "low" demand for a Sturt Highway bypass.
"The NSW government's $100,000 Wagga Wagga Urban Highway Study continues to investigate an east-west bypass for Wagga Wagga," the letter stated.
"However, assessment so far suggests an alternative east-west corridor would have very low usage now and into the future.
"The study will continue to assess potential future usage of such a corridor."
Association president Barbara Johnston said the group's members saw an obvious need to move heavy vehicles out of the city centre.
"We have been pushing for this for many years. The heavy vehicles pass a hospital and a public school," she said.
You just need to stand on any part of Edward Street to see the enormous amount of trucks that go by."
The RMS letter came after the association spent months making inquiries about the bypass.
When asked to clarify the RMS advice, a Transport for NSW spokesperson said the Wagga bypass remained part of planning.
"Wagga was chosen as one of the regional areas to pilot the development of 'place plans' under the Future Transport 2056 Regional NSW Services and Infrastructure Plan," he said.
The Transport for NSW spokesperson said the current Wagga bypass investigations would be part of a wider strategy as part of the city's 'place plan'.
"Transport for NSW is working with the (Wagga City) Council to understand future transport needs as part of a future place plan, with planning underway to develop a consultation draft for later this year," he said.
The state government funded Wagga Urban Highway Study, designed to investigate the feasibility of sending trucks around the centre of the city, was commissioned in March 2015.
The study's report was originally due by the end of 2016 and was delayed multiple times in 2017, which was met with complaints from Committee 4 Wagga at the time.
Three bypass options put forward by Committee 4 Wagga included a route looping through Bomen to the north of the city linking to the Sturt Highway south of Estella; one travelling through North Wagga using the upgraded Eunony Bridge; and one skirting the city's southern boundaries.
Committee 4 Wagga chief executive Alan Johnston said the think tank has not seen any traffic studies for a Wagga bypass and would continue to advocate for a bypass.
"Our report (on bypass options) was out in 2015 and noone else has come out with anything other than that," he said.
"We are extremely hopeful that the process that Transport for NSW is going through will come up with a solution and give us some reasonable timelines, because Edward Street and Hammond Avenue can't stay as it is."
Mr Johnston said he hoped to learn more this month about efforts to plan out Wagga's future traffic solutions.
"We participated in the Transport for NSW workshop back in February where all parties with an interest, whether they were government or local community, were invited to attend," he said.
"All roads and issues, the industrial estate, 'Gobba' Bridge', were considered in one plan: the Wagga place plan.
"The communications we have is that there will be further guidance coming out on that this month with some expectation that the final plan would come out in September."
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