In brief:

• Major milestones have been reached to revitalise the city centre.
• These include the completion of the Raising London Circuit project.
• This story explains the milestones, as well as the immediate and long-term benefits for Canberrans.

Major milestones have been reached in work to revitalise the city centre.

• The Raising London Circuit project is now complete.
• Light Rail Stage 2A is progressing well.
• Site establishment and early works will soon begin for Canberra’s new lyric theatre.

Raising London Circuit

The Raising London Circuit Project is now complete. This is a key step in connecting the city to the lake.

London Circuit east, between Commonwealth Avenue and Constitution Avenue, reopened to on-road traffic earlier this year.

This included the new at-grade intersection between London Circuit east and Commonwealth Avenue.

Immediate benefits

An extra 120 parking bays have reopened in the City Hill car park.

Canberrans can also access new walking paths and dedicated cycle lanes.

These are located on London Circuit between Constitution Avenue and Edinburgh Avenue.

Light Rail Stage 2A work

While the raising of London Circuit is complete, construction will continue on the western side between Commonwealth Avenue and Edinburgh Avenue.

This work is part of the Light Rail Stage 2A project. It will:

• add three new light rail stops at Edinburgh Avenue, City South and Commonwealth Park
• activate underutilised parts of City West
• unlock opportunities for new mixed-use developments and public spaces.

Canberra’s new lyric theatre

The brand-new lyric theatre will be located at the northern end of the Canberra Theatre Centre. This is the area occupied by the Theatre Lane car park.

Preparation for its construction will begin in mid-October 2025 and will involve site establishment and early works.

Works including installation of hoarding and site sheds, will require the Theatre Lane car park to close from mid-October 2025.

Permit parking and accessible parking will be relocated to nearby car parks.

Once complete, the theatre will host large-scale productions. These will include performances Canberra often misses out on, such as:

• musicals
• ballet
• opera.

Its completion will boost the ACT’s cultural offerings. This will deliver economic benefits across the city’s tourism, hospitality and accommodation sectors.

Parking in the city

More than 5,000 car parking spaces remain available across the city.

Canberrans can park for free from 5:30 pm, Wednesday to Sunday, at nearby public ACT Government car parks.

Extra car parks are available nearby. These include:

• the newly opened Nangari Street car park, with a capacity of 280 cars
• the re-opened spaces in the City Hill car park, making an additional 120 spaces available now the Raising London Circuit project is complete.

Lasting legacy

This work on Canberra’s city centre will deliver a once-in-a-generation transformation.

The ACT Government is working closely with the Australian Government and private developers to:

• minimise disruption
• ensure the city stays open for business.

A multi-agency taskforce is coordinating efforts to manage construction impacts in the city.

These major projects will:

• create jobs
• attract investment
• enrich community life.

They are designed to support Canberra’s growth, improve public transport and activate the city centre seven days a week.

For more information on city construction changes and impacts, visit the Built for CBR website.

Read more like this:

• Milestone for the Raising London Circuit Project
• Protecting the city centre against flooding
• Construction begins on Light Rail Stage 2A

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