Major road closures commence for National Multicultural Festival

Multiple main roads across Canberra’s CBD will be shut this weekend for the return of the National Multicultural Festival.

Motorists have been urged to plan ahead and rethink their travel routine with disruptions beginning today (14 February).

Bunda Street will be closed in both directions between Bible Lane and Akuna Street from 8 pm today until 8 pm, Tuesday (21 February), with Genge Street and Petrie Street also shut in both directions at Bunda Street.

The next lot of roads will close from 4 am on Thursday until 8 pm Thursday (23 February), with Ainslie Place blocked off at London Circuit and a single eastbound lane of London Circuit between Northbourne Avenue and Akuna Street closed. There will be limited access for residents and businesses.

London Circuit will be closed in both directions between Theatre Lane and Akuna Street, its westbound lanes shut between Northbourne Avenue and Theatre Lane, and its eastbound lanes shut between Constitution Avenue and Akuna Street from 8 pm Thursday to 4 am Monday (20 February).

For the same dates, Ainslie Place will be closed, Akuna Street will be closed in both directions between Cooyong Street and Rabaul Lane/Hillside Lane, and Bunda Street/Binara Street will be shut between the Crowne Plaza Hotel driveway and Akuna Street.

Vernon Circle northbound will be reduced to a single lane of general traffic and a separate bus priority lane.

Additional lane closures will occur on Vernon Circle from Friday (17 February), which could cause significant traffic disruption on Commonwealth Avenue during commuter peak hours.

The ACT Government has asked those attending the National Multicultural Festival to think about leaving their cars at home and using public transport or a Park and Ride to connect to a bus or light rail service.

Free shuttle buses will leave from select locations, or people can also walk, ride or scoot to the event.

“[The event road closures] means that roads into the city from south Canberra, such as along Commonwealth Avenue and on Parkes Way via Kings Avenue and the Tuggeranong Parkway, will be busier than usual,” a government statement said.

The road closures will continue on Saturday (18 February) between 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm for the main event, with Rabaul Lane closed in both directions at Akuna Street.

Some bus services will change as a result of the road closures, with some detours in place in the city from Friday (17 February) to Sunday (19 February).

You can find out more about the impacted services, along with maps, through Transport ACT.

Extra light rail services will be part of a special event timetable in both directions from 6:30 pm Friday (17 February) to 5:30 pm Sunday (19 February).

If you don’t have a MyWay card, tickets for bus and light rail travel can be bought from vending machines at all light rail stops, major bus interchanges and the Canberra Airport.

A free shuttle bus service will run over the three days as well, with a ‘Russell to City’ loop, ‘Parliamentary Triangle to City’ loop, ‘Belconnen to Woden via City’ loop and ‘Woden to Belconnen via City’ loop at these times:

• Friday, 17 February from 5.30 pm to 11.30 pm
• Saturday, 18 February from 9 am to 11.30 pm
• Sunday, 19 February from 9 am to 5.30 pm.

Meanwhile, everyone’s been reminded London Circuit remains closed between Edinburgh Avenue and Constitution Avenue for light rail construction to Woden, with both cloverleaf ramps from Commonwealth Avenue to Parkes Way and London Circuit now permanently closed.

The National Multicultural Festival will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.

Original Article published by Claire Fenwicke on Riotact.