No argument city’s gateway could use sprucing up
TOWNSVILLE Airport agrees the view for visitors on its gateway road needs to be improved.
But just who is responsible to do the work, the airport declined to say.
“The airport is conscious that an additional part of the enhancement will be to improve the visitors’ impression of the city’s gateway,” airport chief operating officer Kevin Gill said.
Mr Gill was commenting after announcing work on a $ 2.4 million gateway project.
The roadway on the Garbutt access to the airport on Meenan St will be extended to the gateway road, John Melton Black Drive, directing all traffic through this road into and out of the airport.
Halifax Drive, which currently takes traffic into and out of the airport from Meenan St, will be closed at the airport entry point, making the road a dead end.
“The proposed changes to the entrance primarily are designed to improve vehicular movement to the airport,” Mr Gill said.
The roadworks are being jointly funded by Townsville Airport and the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund, after a successful application by Townsville City Council.
John Melton Black Drive was developed many years ago to provide a designated gateway for the airport.
More recently, the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre and the Salvation Army’s recovery centre for drug and al- cohol services have been built on either side of the gateway.
Mr Gill agreed the vista along the gateway needed to be improved for visitors with appropriate landscaping.
He said areas within the airport would be appropriately landscaped.
The gateway project is expected to start within the next few months and be completed within a year.