Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Pacific Highway Concerns and Alternative Projects


The Wollongong Transport Coalition (WTC) is concerned that the Australian Government's record funding of the Pacific Highway is diverting both federal and NSW Government funds from other road and rail projects.
            For some years, high level of federal spending on the Pacific Highway has been conditional on significant contributions from NSW Government funds.
This, in turn, has delayed road projects such as upgrading the Appin and Picton Roads as well as the Princes Highway.
            This is despite it being increasingly obvious, and as pointed out by Infrastructure NSW in their 2012 report that future Pacific Highway projects  will be on sections with lower traffic volumes, with benefit cost ratios as low as 0.8.  As this pro road report states, the money would be better spent on other road projects.
            On 23 December 2012, there was fatal road crash on the notorious  Mt Ousley F6 intersection, which is at one level, allowing traffic from Fairy Meadow and other locations to turn left to proceed up the Mt Ousley Road. 
            WTC calls for an underpass or overpass at or near the intersection the Mt Ousley Road and the F6.  Such grade separation could also provide an improved access to the University of Wollongong.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Be carefull here. RTA / RMS designed overpass could end up like Bulli Pass where a wider bridge would have eliminated any crossing traffic at the bottom of Bulli Pass.
Get the trucks off the road and put the freight on rail.
No more coal mine extensions or new ones without full rail access.