I was floating on air after one item at this week's council meeting, when we were able to finally lay to rest a proposed new road alignment through the Fernhill Road area.
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Known as the 'blue line', the link proposal went to public exhibition just over two years ago without prior consultation with councillors.
A leafy, large-block residential area, with known Koala and other habitat and heritage significance, the land is also seated in incredibly difficult geology for construction. It was hard to understand how the proposal got legs in the first place.
After informal discussions led nowhere 18 months ago, I moved at council for consultation with Transport for NSW about removing this proposed realignment from consideration in their Oxley Highway improvement planning. And finally this month that came to pass.
I extend joyful thanks to residents for their savvy lobbying, council infrastructure staff for taking up the fight and Transport for NSW for bringing forward investigations into alternative options.
The time frame of two years for a simple decision can seem incredibly slow to observers, and frankly to councillors as well.
But those are the realities we deal with in government decisions, especially when there are several large organisations involved in the immensely complicated task of road planning.
This one is a telling tale about us needing to all work together.
Anyway, now the 'blue line' is put to rest and for a moment we can all bask in that delight!
Cr Intemann's opinions are not necessarily council's.
