Aims

The main aims of this Group are twofold:

1. retain the existing Pacific Highway route from Lisarow to Wyoming and upgrade it to a 4-lane divided arterial road, and...

2. create a new, 2-lane, "truck friendly" corridor in the Narara Valley, on the western side of the railway line, between Niagara Park Railway Station and Narara Railway Station.

March 2012 Update: The RMS has released a "Community Consultation Strategy" document for Stage 4 between Lisarow and Narara. The full document (includes much more information than was included in letterbox pamplets) is available as a PDF file from the RMS (about 30MB in size). The RMS says that after considering 15 different routes, it has decided on a choice of four – two which follow the western side of the railway line (designated A+X and A+Z) along the Narara Valley corridor, and two which utilise the existing Pacific Highway on the eastern side of the railway line (designated B+Y and B+Z). The preferred option by the RPHAG is to use the B+Y (Dark Grey) route which follows the existing Pacific Highway, creating a new, safer "T" intersection at Wyoming (away from the existing roundabouts either side of the Narara railway bridge). The B+Y 'Dark Grey' route (map courtesy of the Roads and Maritime Services) Close up of the Wyoming "T" intersection on the 'Dark Grey' route (map courtesy of the Roads and Maritime Services) The preferred B+Y (Dark Grey) route has fewer affected properties than any of the other options, it requires the construction of only three new bridge structures (compared to nine for the two "A" options), and it offers the fewest traffic lights. Costing estimates indicates that both the Pacific Highway (eastern) route options will come in at up to $100 million cheaper than the western, Narara Valley route options. The RMS cost estimates are: $450m-500m for either of the two Pacific Highway options, $550m-$600m for the A+X option and $500m-$550m for the A+Z option. With a state government that is chronically short on funds for capital expenditure, a lower-cost option is important! We feel the B+Y (Dark Grey) option gives the best overall traffic flow while retaining the existing Pacific Highway, the traditional route from Ourimbah to Gosford. It would have less affect on the Lisarow Plaza shopping centre which relies on the passing trade. However, even though Option H (from the Narara to Lisarow Route options summary report) was rejected by the RMS, we still feel that a truck-friendly route using the corridor (Zone 5(d) in Gosford City Council's Local Enviroment Plan 2007) which follows the railway line between the Niagra Park railway station and which cuts Willari Ave and runs beside Apara Close (missing the end of Haggerty Close) should be included to break up the traffic and give trucks a better and safer route from Lisarow/Ourimbah areas to West Gosford (see our crude map below). With the savings from carrying out option B+Y, the RMS could afford to add that corridor! The RPHAG urges all members and supporters to go to the next RMS community information session at Niagrara Park Community Centre Hall on April 18 at either the 1:30pm or 7pm sessions. Contact the RMS on (02) 4379 7001 during business hours or e-mail them at central_coast_office@rms.nsw.gov.au if you want more information.

Aim 1 – retain the existing Pacific Highway route

1. The existing Pacific Highway was always designed to be widened, because houses and, in most cases, telephone poles, are set well back. Following the existing Pacific Highway route should have less cost associated with the widening of this road and the conversion of it into a divided four lane arterial road. This route could also accommodate a service road, should one be deemed necessary for residential access.

2. The widening of the Pacific Highway between Lisarow and Wyoming would not dramatically alter existing traffic patterns, or change the traffic load on that road. This is the traditional route to Gosford from the Ourimbah/Lisarow area, and is a feeder route from the F3 Freeway.

3. Traffic from the Lisarow industrial area on Railway Crescent would not impact onto the upgraded Pacific Highway at a single point, but could feed onto it from a number of directions, thus reducing the impact of the afternoon peak period (3pm to 5pm).

4. The existing Pacific Highway route traverses S.E.P.P. 19 land at the Lisarow Wetlands. This is bushland set aside for the preservation of a bushland environment of sufficient size, and of a character that reflects the bushland environment that once existed in the area. It is worth noting that the land is not protected as S.E.P.P. 14 Wetlands, which has different aims and relates to ecological values of wetland environments. Although the land has some sensitivity to the construction of the road, the amount of land required for the road should not significantly affect the aims of S.E.P.P. 19.

5. The Narara Valley, along Railway Crescent, is more subject to fogs and floods than the existing Pacific Highway. While the road can be built up and drainage improved to prevent flooding (at a cost), nothing can be done to prevent the fogs which can turn a safe road into a dangerous road very quickly. If this dangerous road is a 70kmh major carriageway carrying the bulk of the traffic between Gosford and Ourimbah then safety is an important issue and should not be dismissed.

1. Separation of trucks and cars is always beneficial and, while cars would still use the new corridor between the Niagara Park and Narara Railway Stations, the number of vehicles would be significantly less than if the new, upgraded Pacific Highway was using that route.

   Currently some 28,000 vehicles per day use the existing Pacific Highway route, compared to about 7,000 using Railway Crescent. Diverting the upgraded Pacific Highway down Railway Crescent and through the Narara Valley would most likely reverse those figures, adding heavy trucks and articulated vehicles to the huge number of vehicles using the new corridor. Trucks would have to enter and leave the busy divided road, disrupting traffic and creating collision impact points outside the factories in the Lisarow industrial area. This is specially true at end of shift when employees of the major factories (Sara Lee, Scholastic, etc) enter the traffic stream.

   A separate corridor along the Narara Valley would be able to funnel employee's vehicles onto the main roads at various points, and not directly into the major stream at a single point. It would also allow trucks to more safely enter and leave factories in the Lisarow industrial area.

2. A new corridor, on the western side of the railway line between Niagara Park Railway Station and Narara Railway Station, would divert traffic away from the existing Niagara Park residential area and from the Niagara Park Public School, making it much safer for both residents and young primary school age students.

3. Maintaining two major roads, forking south from the existing Pacific Highway/Railway Crescent intersection, would assist maintaining good flow by splitting traffic. One would be using the existing Pacific Highway, taking traffic to Wyoming and Gosford, and the other using the Railway Crescent/Narara Valley route, taking traffic to West Gosford and further south (Woy Woy, etc),

4. If the new Pacific Highway followed the Narara Valley route, there would be a serious bottleneck at the rear of the Niagara Park Primary School with a 40km speed limited School Zone, delaying traffic during some of the busiest times of the day. While this would still be the case if it was a secondary route south from the Lisarow industrial area, it would impact on fewer vehicles (approximately 20 per cent, based on current RMS traffic figures).

1. It is advisable to develop two routes south from the F3 Freeway. One towards Wyoming, Gosford, East Gosford, etc, and a second route through the Narara Valley south to West Gosford, Point Claire, Woy Woy, etc. The existing Pacific Highway route to be a divided 4-lane road designed to carry the bulk of the traffic (as it currently does) and the Narara Valley route to be retained as a 2-lane road.

2. It is advisable to separate, as much as possible, heavy commercial vehicles from passenger cars.

3. It is advisable, as much as possible, to give easy access for vehicles into and out of the Lisarow industrial area and not to have them directly enter a major 4-lane divided road carrying the bulk of the traffic south from the F3 Freeway. This would help prevent traffic problems, specially at end-of-shift times.

4. It is advisable to add a new railway crossing at Niagara Park to help local traffic flow, specially from the Lisarow industrial area and for local residents.

5. It is advisable to upgrade the existing Narara railway crossing bridge to 4-lanes as soon as possible. This should commence as soon as the route is determined for the Pacific Highway upgrade.

6. The Retain Pacific Hwy Action Group would like to see more thought given to the Railway Crescent/Pacific Highway intersection, specifically how Dora Street interacts with that junction. We would like to see full access available through Dora Street – both right and left turns into, and out of, this street. We believe this is possible if the existing Pacific Highway route was used for the upgrade.

7. The Retain Pacific Hwy Action Group would like to see a set of temporary traffic lights constructed immediately at the Railway Crescent/Pacific Highway intersection, and not wait for construction of Stage 4 to commence (whenever that might happen!). This is one of the most dangerous intersections in the region, if not on the whole Central Coast, and it requires urgent traffic control.

8. The Retain Pacific Hwy Action Group would like to see a footbridge constructed over the existing Pacific Highway opposite Lisarow Railway Station due to the huge number of High School children crossing the road at that point. Currently they are using the traffic lights (as they should) and this is seriously affecting the traffic flow in that area.

9. Whichever route was chosen for the upgrade, we feel that the existing Pacific Highway route would still have to be upgraded. There would still be considerable traffic flow along that route due to residential vehicles from intersecting streets, and the traffic volumes from Lisarow Shopping Centre, Narara Public School and Lisarow High School. The road upgrade is urgently needed due to the degraded road surfaces along the Pacific Highway at present. Likewise, Railway Crescent needs to be re-surfaced due to the heavy vehicles constantly using it. Therefore, making a decision based purely on the cheapest route, might not be cost effective in the long term as both roads need to be resurfaced and upgraded.

The Retain Pacific Hwy Action Group co-ordinator is Graham Pockett. While he can be contacted on 0425 341 268 most hours, e-mail is preferred.

Correspondence can be sent to:

Retain Pacific Highway Action Group
c/- 20 B Railway Crescent
Lisarow
NSW 2250

E-mail:  retainpacifichwy@people.net.au

If you wish to join this Group, please fill in the RPHAG membership form. There are no membership fees.

Your personal information will never be shared with a third party without your consent. You will get occasional e-mails from us informing you of progress.

If you are able to help the Group in any way, please let us know. This might include printing and/or distributing pamphlets, speaking to groups or businesses, secretarial, etc.

RMS information about the proposed routes.
(the RTA site includes downloadable PDF files, e-mail and telephone contact information, etc)