ACT Assembly Approves Belconnen Road Upgrades Package, Targeting Gungahlin Commuter Routes

The ACT Legislative Assembly has passed the 2026 Transport Infrastructure Amendment, allocating dedicated funds for road widening and bus priority lanes along key Belconnen arterials that serve Gungahlin residents travelling to Civic and the airport.

Assembly members reviewed the measure during the July sitting after the latest ACT budget update showed sustained pressure on infrastructure spending from federal efficiency measures affecting public service employment levels in the territory.

Daily travel patterns for northern residents

Gungahlin households using the Barton Highway corridor each weekday will see new bus lanes added between the suburb and Belconnen Town Centre, cutting scheduled journey times by up to twelve minutes according to Transport Canberra modelling. Families in Holt and Macgregor gain direct access to the upgraded routes, while residents in Tuggeranong and Woden receive no equivalent works under this package.

Local advocates note that the changes will alter school drop-off and shift-work travel for an estimated 22,000 daily commuters who currently rely on the existing single-lane sections. The legislation states that construction contracts must prioritise local suppliers, which procurement records show has previously supported 340 jobs on comparable ACT projects.

The 2025-26 ACT Budget Papers list the total commitment at $312 million across three financial years, drawn from consolidated revenue without additional federal grants. This figure covers design, land acquisition and the first stage of civil works only.

Works are projected to begin site preparation in the first quarter of 2027, with the government saying the policy will deliver completed lanes by the end of 2029. Further stages remain subject to future budget processes.