A decades-long debate around the future of a proposed road in Canberra's north is no closer to being finalised.
Monash Drive was first proposed in 1925 by Walter Burley Griffin at the base of Mount Majura and Mount Ainslie.
The road is a bypass for the inner north of Canberra and would connect Antill Street with Fairbairn Avenue by cutting through Canberra Nature Park on the eastern side of Hackett, Ainslie and Campbell.
It was gazetted by the Commonwealth in 1956, and it remains part of the National Capital Plan, despite no action to build it and continued aversion from the ACT government to do so.
After the federal election in May 2022, the North Canberra Community Council sent a letter to local and federal government members writing to find a "resolution" for the debate.
The letter discussed the decision made by the National Capital Authority following requests from the ACT government to remove the road in 2018.
At the time, director-general of Transport Canberra and City Services Emma Thomas wrote to NCA chief Sally Barnes saying the benefits of the road no longer outweighed the loss of habitat and the cost.
She said the opening of the Majura Parkway in 2016, and the light rail in 2019, meant the road was no longer necessary.
Ms Barnes said at NCA meeting in December 2018 where the road was discussed "the basis for any change was not strong at this time, including in the context of the current and future changes to transport arrangements which are relevant to the request".
Chair of the Hackett Community Association Chris Mobbs, whose research into the road was sited in the NCCC's letter, said he believed the changes in the federal government following the election may have led to a better outcome.
"The May 2022 federal election resulted in many more Labor and independents being elected," he said.
"Given the ACT government was a Labor and Greens coalition, the association felt that having Monash Drive removed from the plan would be relatively straightforward for both governments to agree on its removal."
The proposed road "would cause significant damage to the valuable ecological woodland communities of Mount Ainslie and Mount Majura", Mr Mobbs said.
"It would also impact on access to the reserves for bushwalkers and off-road cyclists and create a visual scar across this important visual backdrop to Canberra.
"The inclusion of Monash Drive creates a mishmash of, at times, complicated maps for the area, too."
The letter reached ACT senator Katy Gallagher in September, who passed it on to Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government Kristy McBain.
In May of this year, Ms McBain said not enough progress had been made to determine whether the road was actually necessary or not.
"[The NCA board] considered that it would be premature to consider the removal of the road alignment until the finalisation of metropolitan planning measures to accommodate increased population within Canberra's north," she said in a letter.
"Some of these initiatives have progressed, such as completion of the light rail between Gungahlin and city, while others remain unresolved.
"Once the impact of planning and transport matters is fully understood, the board would be in a better position to consider the removal of Monash Drive from the Plan."
Mr Mobbs said Ms McBain's response was just "kicking the can down the road".
"The fact that the Majura Parkway and the light rail have been built surely should address the concerns of the NCA about future transport needs for north Canberra," he said.
"Reading the correspondence between the ACT and federal governments over the decades about Monash Drive reminds me of the new Utopia series ... I am sure there could be enough for two episodes."
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
