MEEGAN Fitzharris has launched a draft design for a revitalised Anketell Street in Tuggeranong, intended to improve the main street and help transform it into a hub where students and shoppers can relax and shop.

“More than half a million dollars will be invested in the Town Centre to cater for growing activity in the area, boosted by the new CIT Tuggeranong Campus which officially opened last week,” Meegan said.

“I’m excited to announce today that $530,000 will be invested in new design work and the construction of the first stage of improvements on Anketell Street.

“This work will help transform the area into a more inclusive, accessible and inviting space for local residents and traders, particularly for our new CIT students who now have access to a great world-class campus in the heart of Tuggeranong.

“There will now be a short period of consultation about the proposed upgrades. We want people who know Tuggeranong the best – the residents, traders and road users – to give us their responses to the draft design.”

“Feedback is invited on the first stage of construction as well as the overall look and feel of Anketell Street, including its connection to the lake front. The design also proposes new furniture, street trees and feature lighting as well as improved pedestrian access to the laneway entry to the lake by removing some retaining walls and replacing existing trees with a more suitable species.

“This first stage of the upgrade is part of a long?term plan to revitalise the Tuggeranong Town Centre’s public spaces, and is based on the Tuggeranong Town Centre Master Plan, which received great feedback.

“We are also focusing on making walking and cycling in the town centre safer, more convenient and enjoyable. A feasibility study was completed earlier this year which looked into how to improve walking and cycling connections in the Tuggeranong Town Centre,” Minister Fitzharris said.

A number of changes proposed for the future of the Town Centre will also be considered during this consultation including:

• Implementing a shared zone on Anketell Street adjacent to the Tuggeranong Hyperdome entrance.
• Creating one-way cycle lanes on either side of Anketell Street between Cowlishaw Street and Soward Way.
• Widening the pavement on the western side of Anketell Street between Pittman Street and Soward Way to create more amenity for pedestrians, opportunity for street dining, shade trees and landscaping.
• Reducing lane widths and constructing kerb ramps to make it easier for pedestrians to cross Anketell Street.

“We would like feedback on these proposed changes so we can plan now for the future of the Tuggeranong Town Centre,” said Minister Fitzharris.

You can provide feedback by completing a survey online at yoursay.act.gov.au, or a hard copy survey at the Tuggeranong Library. Feedback will be accepted until 16 September 2016.

The results of the survey will inform the final design for the upgrade which will be made publicly available later in 2016. Construction works on the first stage of the upgrade are expected to commence in mid 2017 and be completed by the end of 2017.