Stanwell Park walk route decided

Murrawal Road/Lower South Coast Road will link the newly constructed boardwalk on Lawrence Hargrave Drive into Stanwell Park. Photo: Google Streetview

A VITAL link on the Grand Pacific Walk, joining Stanwell Park and Coalcliff, has come a step closer with Council confirming that Murrawal Road will link the newly constructed boardwalk on Lawrence Hargrave Drive into Stanwell Park.

Late last year concerns by a few residents over the inclusion of Murrawal Road in the project prompted a review of the route. Council called for independent feedback on five options to link Coalcliff and the Stanwell Park shops.

The review considered gradients, constructability, impact on private property, safety, traffic impacts, heritage, flooding and cost. We also provided details of the five options to the community and asked for their feedback on the routes.

Based on the criteria set out in the review the report determined that Murrawal Road provided the best route for this connection. Council has taken on board feedback collected during the community consultation and made some changes to the plans for Murrawal Road. These include increasing the size of some drainage pits to reduce water flows into private property during large storm events. Design changes have also been made to reduce entry speeds onto Murrawal Road and to slow traffic into the area.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said that the completion of this vital link between the villages of Coalcliff and Stanwell Park would bring benefits to the local community.

“Based on the findings of the report, work may commence on the Murrawal Road section of the Grand Pacific Walk as early as July with the intent for it to be complete by the end of summer,” Cr Bradbery said.

“I’d like to thank all those people that provided feedback to Council throughout this process. I acknowledge that there are some residents who will disagree with this decision. I believe the final outcome will deliver a considerable benefit to the area and having a safe shared way linking Coalcliff and Stanwell Park will provide a longer term benefit to the community.”

Contact Council’s Customer Service Team on (02) 4227 7111 for further information.