Council welcomes NSW funding of $9.5 million for Byron Bay bypass
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Published on 10 December 2018
The NSW Government has announced $9.5 million of funding towards the Byron Bay bypass – the final amount required to see the project begin construction in 2019. The announcement was made by the NSW Parliamentary Secretary for the North Coast, Ben Franklin, in Mullumbimby today.
“This is the final amount of funding required for the bypass, which has been in planning phase for years,” Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson said.
“The bypass will provide an alternative route for people travelling through town, easing pressure on Jonson and Fletcher Streets and allowing us to start reshaping the way people move in and around town.
“We have clearly heard that our community want to see shared zones, increased ‘pedestrianisation’ and a prioritisation of cycleways in the town centre – now we can start to make that happen,” Mayor Richardson, said.
The bypass is part of a broader ‘rail precinct’ partnership between Byron Shire Council and Transport for NSW.
“We also welcome today’s news that Transport for NSW is funding the construction of a new bus interchange next year which will be built alongside the Byron Bypass, replacing the existing bus stop in Jonson St,” Mayor Richardson said.
“We know there is no ‘magic bullet’ for the traffic congestion challenge in Byron, particularly as our traffic volumes continue to increase, but these are the first steps in a broader vision of a town centre that prioritises people over cars,” said Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson.
Council is ready to construct the Byron bypass – detailed design is 100% complete and fully approved by Council, the Joint Regional Planning Panel and the Land & Environment Court.
The bypass is the critical ‘domino’ for all Byron town centre projects. It is the catalyst for the projects within the rail precinct, as well as critical road upgrades in the town centre. The key projects within the rail precinct include:
The upgrade of Railway Park as the heart of the town centre; The revitalisation and beautification of Butler Street Reserve so it can continue as passive recreation, car parking and market space; The construction of a bus interchange on the Butler Street side of the rail corridor by Transport for NSW; The upgrade of the car park in front of the Rails Hotel; The opening up of the neglected rail corridor space for passive community recreation and green space.“The Masterplan highlights that this precinct forms the critical infrastructure that can unlock the potential of Byron Bay, and the construction of the bypass is a key first step in realising the vision of a town that prioritises people over cars,” said Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson.
Council anticipates construction of the bypass beginning in August 2019.
For more information contact Claire McGarry on 6626 7296. For interviews contact Mayor Simon Richardson on 0427 076 834.