City of Greater Geraldton to investigate management of Onslow Street to manage increased hospital traffic

The City of Greater Geraldton is investigating how to better manage the expected spike in traffic and pedestrian movement amid the long-awaited redevelopment of Geraldton Health Campus. Mayor Jerry Clune this week said the council welcomed the hospital upgrade but confirmed the State Government would not commit to improving traffic management in the area, which borders Onslow and Shenton streets. “As the State Government has indicated it will not include improvements to Onslow Street as part of the redevelopment, the city will need to investigate how to enhance Onslow Street,” Mr Clune said. “So that it may accommodate the considerable increase in vehicle and pedestrian traffic that will follow once Geraldton Health Campus is complete.” Mr Clune said this project differed from developments by non-government entities, which were responsible for constructing all supporting infrastructure needed for any proposed venture. The $166.1 million redevelopment of the hospital was first earmarked in 2017 as an election promise from former premier Mark McGowan, with the budget blowing out multiple times since then. Multiplex was awarded the project tender in December last year, a few months after an auditor-general’s report named it as the State’s most overdue major project, now scheduled to be delivered five years on from its initial finishing date. Ground was broken on the project last month and over its life it’s estimated it will employ more than 800 workers. The upgrade is set to deliver an expanded emergency department and a new intensive care unit, co-located with an improved high-dependency unit, and an integrated mental health service.