Politics
Bundoora City Council Approves 2026 Infrastructure Bond for Road Repairs and Vocational Training
The 7-2 vote allocates $4.8 million from the annual budget to projects linking Bundoora residents to jobs and services through upgrades at the industrial park and on Main Street.
How we reported this
Bundoora City Council on July 7 passed the 2026 Infrastructure Bond Measure by a 7-2 margin. The decision directs funds to road resurfacing and a new vocational training wing at the industrial park. Residents who commute to work sites along those routes or seek entry-level certifications will see the first changes in the 2027 fiscal year.
The measure comes after the council reviewed traffic counts showing 12,400 daily vehicle trips on Main Street and enrollment waiting lists at the existing training center that reached 340 people last quarter. Council documents cite rising demand for logistics and light manufacturing positions as the reason for timing the bond now rather than waiting for the next budget cycle.
Effects on local access and employment pathways
Workers living near the industrial park will gain a direct bus loop extension funded under the bond. The route addition covers the 2.3-kilometer stretch between the park entrance and the nearest rail station. Families in the eastern residential grid will also receive scheduled pavement replacement on two blocks of Main Street that currently force detours during peak hours.
Budget papers list $2.1 million for the training facility expansion, which adds capacity for 180 additional students per term in welding and supply-chain courses. Another $1.9 million goes to Main Street resurfacing, while the remaining $800,000 covers engineering studies and contingency. The figures appear in the council's published agenda packet dated June 30.
Implementation begins with design contracts awarded by September. Construction on the training wing is projected to finish by March 2028, and road work is scheduled to avoid winter closures. Residents can track progress through the council's public dashboard that updates monthly on project milestones.