MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall last week inspected the recently completed cycleway/pathway which links the Aboriginal communities east of the railway with the Moree town centre.
Mr Marshall said the State Government had allocated $300,000 in the budget to the Moree Plains Shire Council to assist with the cost of completing the shared pathway project.
“The 900 metre pathway along the Gwydir Highway from Wirriala Street to Ann Street was the final stage of what was a four-stage project to link the Aboriginal communities east of the Railway with the town centre,” Mr Marshall said.
“The good news story is that the RMS shared the Council’s enthusiasm for this project and was happy to fund the final stage.
“Council’s 10-year-term plan identified that the Gwydir Highway path links the whole community east of the railway line with the town centre.
“This community has a high aboriginal population and their long term plan was to extend the path all the way to the Aboriginal Mission of Stanley Village from the CBD.
“The residential area has low ratio of cars per household and a high ratio of residents per house and the old pathway was only one-metre wide and was far from adequate for the large number of pedestrians using it.
Mr Marshall said Gwydir Highway pedestrian route was the only legal passage across the railway line and the only traffic-lights-controlled crossing of the Newell Highway.
“Council has successfully worked with the RMS to make this route as attractive as possible as there are currently 1000 pedestrian crossing per day and many of these are at night,” the MP said.
“The 2.5-metre wide path is a great improvement on what was previously there and will assist in funnelling everyone to the safest location to cross the Highway.”