The project team aim to understand community values, issues and concerns with the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade project.

That is why we get the community involved and ask for their input.

Involving the community and stakeholders

We involve the community in the process to:

• Help the residents and stakeholders become aware of the project and the need for the upgrade.
• Discover and understand any issues, values and concerns residents and stakeholders have about the project.
• Include residents and stakeholders issues in each investigation phase, from developing route options to refining the preferred option, concept and environmental assessment.
• Communicate the outcomes of the investigations.
• Tell residents and stakeholders about the next steps.

The four projects included in the development

Concept designs were developed for the following four projects which are incorporated into the concept plan.

• Woolgoolga to Wells Crossing (preferred concept design announced May 2008)
• Wells Crossing to Iluka Road (preferred concept design announced March 2009)
• Iluka Road to Woodburn (preferred concept design announced July 2008)
• Woodburn to Ballina (preferred concept design announced March 2008)

The above concept designs will be used to seek concept plan approval.

Community involvement

The community and stakeholders were involved and informed by the following activities during the projects development:

• Community information sessions.
• Community updates.
• Advertisements.
• Information displays.
• Special focus group meetings.
• Stakeholder meetings.

Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) continues to involve and inform the community as part of the concept plan project.

This includes:

• Aboriginal focus groups.
• Flood focus groups.
• Community updates.
• Advertisements.
• Information displays.