Rifle Range Rd upgrade nears completion

THE long-awaited upgrade of the Lismore and Rifle Range Rd intersection at Bangalow is expected to be finished by mid-October.

The project was initially slated for 2018 but was deferred to 2022 before having to be postponed again when the budget blew out after that year’s floods.

Work finally began in July and was scheduled to be complete in early September, but wet weather and other setbacks caused further delays.

The much-needed upgrade includes widening Lismore Rd to allow for a right turning lane into Rifle Range Rd, as well as signage, safety barriers and line markings.

New bus bays and shelters are also being added, with shared paths connecting them to Tristania St.

Drainage has also been upgraded, including a new major culvert under Lismore Rd to reduce flooding and improve access for residents on the western side of Bangalow, who have found themselves repeatedly cut off over the years when it floods.

Bangalow resident Clare Hopkins has been campaigning for the upgrade for safety reasons since 2007, when her daughter Zoe started catching the bus to and from Byron Bay High School.

“The Rifle Range Rd upgrade has been a very long time coming and I’m so grateful that it will reduce the risk of accidents from children walking on or close to the road as well as the danger for people and vehicles in flash flooding,” she said.

Byron Shire Council’s director of infrastructure services Phil Holloway thanked residents and road users for their patience.

“We will now focus on sealing road pavement on the corner of Lismore Rd and Rifle Range Rd and restoration work, including tree planting,” he said.