A proposal by Wagga Council could see a pedestrian bridge constructed over the Murrumbidgee River directly linking Gardiner Street to Central Wagga, a project northern suburbs community members say is welcome but no fix for long-standing commute issues.
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Under the proposal, a footbridge would be constructed from the end of Boorooma Street off Gardiner Street to a point just west of the Wetlands, with a pedestrian and bike path linking up to Narrung Street and onto Travers Street.
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The project would tie the northern suburbs cycling track, which currently runs through North Wagga and along Gardiner Street, directly to Travers Street and would sit parallel to the Gobbagombalin Bridge.
Council confirmed the project is in a very early concept phase, and is pending consultations with Aboriginal organisations and people with cultural knowledge of the area as the bridge would border the Wiradjuri Reserve which is recognised as an area of significance.
Estella Progress Association president Bruce Durham said if the project is approved, it would be welcomed by bike enthusiasts from the northern suburbs.
"I know there's been people biking in from Estella along Gardiner Street and [they] have to go over the Wiradjuri Bridge near Wilk Park, they can't make a direct connection to [Central Wagga]," Mr Durham said. "If there is any chance of it going through we'd be very much in favour of it."
Planning and investigation into the pedestrian bridge was funded under phase two of the Active Travel project - a $15.8 million project to link the outer suburbs of Wagga with Central using cycling and pedestrian routes with the key objective of removing motor vehicles off the road and increasing commuter cycling.
Mr Durham warned that better access for bikes would not solve congestion issues on the Gobbagombalin motor bridge, however, and worried it might distract from the issue.
"I don't think it will make much of a difference to the car traffic and any project like this that [council] talks about directs thoughts away from another Gobba bridge," Mr Durham said. "I would still like a second bridge kept to the forefront rather than trying to bypass sit by offering us other little things."
The Gobbagombalin motor bridge has long been the topic of controversy with members of the community calling for a duplication of the two-lane highway connection to allow better traffic flow in and out of Wagga for Northern suburbs residents in Estella, Boorooma and Gobbagombalin.
In April, the duplication was not supported when the Wagga Transport Plan was released, though Minister for Regional Roads Paul Toole encouraged the community to provide feedback on the findings.
Funding for the Active Travel plan is largely funded by the NSW Government but is not a part of nor funded within the Transport Plan that deals with roads.
A council spokesperson said feedback on the pedestrian bridge concept was "quite strong" in early community engagement.
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