Changes To M1 Link Design Plans But Still No Construction Start Date

 BY IAN CROUCH

 Transport for NSW has made some minor design changes to the long-awaited M1 Pacific Motorway extension between Black Hill and Raymond Terrace following community consultation.

The revised plans now include better access to the Hunter Botanic Gardens from the Pacific Highway and changes to the interchange at Old Punt Road to improve connectivity and reduce impact on the proposed AGL gas-fired power plant at Tomago.

The changes also include moving an entry ramp further south to all northbound motorists from Newcastle to join the freeway earlier.

However, there's still no word on when construction of the $2 billion dollar project will start.

Although funding has been locked in, construction is unlikely to start for another three years.

Business groups and the NRMA have called for planning to be fast-tracked so work can start to ease the traffic bottleneck between Hexham and Heathertbrae.

The M1 Pacific Motorway Link will alleviate traffic build-up between Hexham and Heatherbrae Picture: Facebook

Major Upgrade Due To Start On Queens Wharf At Morpeth

BY IAN CROUCH

A major upgrade to Queens Wharf at Morpeth is due to start on June 1.

The length of the wharf will be increased to improve berthing for recreational and charter vessels as well as ferries.

The top of the boat ramp is also being widened and will include a second access ladder. There will also be improvements to car parking, footpaths and landscaping.

While the work is being done, public access to the boat ramp will be limited to between 7.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday only. In the meantime, boaters are being encouraged to use alternative boat ramps at Riverside Park, Raymond Terrace, Tomago and Clarence Town.

The upgrade, worth almost $1 million, is due for completion by August.

Queens Wharf at Morpeth is set for $1million upgrade

Motorists Getting Back Up To Speed On The M1 Pacific Motorway

BY IAN CROUCH

Long-suffering motorists will soon have a faster trip between Newcastle and Sydney.

After almost 2 years of construction roadworks, the southbound lanes of the M1 Pacific Motorway between the Kariong and Somersby interchanges are expected to return to a speed limit of 110 km/h from this Friday March 27.

All three new southbound lanes will be open and motorists are being advised to drive to the conditions and follow new line marking and signage.

However, the RMS is advising some sections of the M1 are still under construction and will remain at 80 km/h.

The work is one of 3 major upgrade projects on the M1 which also includes upgrading the motorway between the Tuggerah and Doyalson interchanges and the upgrade of the Weakleys Drive and John Renshaw Drive intersection, costing $391.6 million.

The Kariong to Somerby upgrade involves widening the motorway to 3 lanes in each direction and lengthening and widening three of the four ramps at the Kariong Interchange.

It's expected the northbound lanes of the Kariong to Somersby upgrade will go to the 110km/h speed limit by mid year.

The M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade In Progress Picture: RMS

Stage 5 Of Newcastle Inner City Bypass Approved

BY IAN CROUCH

More than four years after former Premier, Mike Baird announced funding to complete the final stage of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass between Rankin Park and Jesmond, an announcement is expected this afternoon just over three weeks out from the state election.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot Macdonald has called a media conference at Jesmond at 2pm with Liberal candidates for Wallsend and Newcastle, Nick Trappett and Blake Keating to announce the Environmental Impact Statement for the long-awaited missing link has been approved.

The announcement should clear the way for the final approval of the project.

The so-called missing link has been dogged with delays since Mike Baird announced a further $150 million in June 2014 towards the $280 million final stage, with work to have started in 2017.

One of the biggest issues has been the design of the interchange linking the bypass to John Hunter Hospital. Initial designs and recommendations from Roads and Maritime Services suggested only a half interchange was needed due to projected traffic flows, however Hunter New England Health and members of the community successfully lobbied for a full interchange to be built. This prompted the need for a new Environmental Impact Statement

It's hoped the approval of the EIS will fast-track a construction date.

The Half Interchange Originally Proposed For The Newcastle Inner City Bypass

Wallsend MP Demands Answers over Speed Limit

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery has labelled speed cameras stinging drivers along Thomas Street, Wallsend as well as Griffiths and Newcastle Roads, Lambton as "cash cows" for the state government.

According to new data revealed to Fairfax under freedom of information, close to $1.2 million worth of speeding fines have been issued along the stretch, since a speed reduction came into force in March.

The limit was changed from 70km/h to 60km/h.

In the period from April to September 2018, 6193 fines were issued, representing a 544% increase on the same period in 2017. Revenue is also up by 469%.

It's causing Sonia Hornery to renew her push for crash data, with the RMS citing safety concerns as the reason for the speed reduction. After months asking Roads Minister Melinda Pavey to release crash statistics, the MP is not convinced the speed reduction is justified.

"They [the RMS] told me the reason they made that reduction is because the crash statistics are too high. And so I said to them, 'tell me at what speed people are crashing so then I'm convinced that speed limit reduction should have occurred,'" Ms Hornery said.

"In just six months the government's raked in $1.18 million in speeding fines," she continued, "that's a lot of money our commuters are being slugged. If you're travelling on Lake Road [Glendale] you know you're able to do 70km/h quite safely so it doesn't make sense to me, and it doesn't make sense to our frustrated commuters."

Griffiths Rd, Lambton. 

Tourle Street Bridge Duplication Unveiled

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

After two years and $100 million of spending, the Tourle Street Bridge duplication is now officially open.

Regional Director for the RMS, Anna Zycki joined Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald in welcoming the project's completion today, 6 months ahead of schedule.

"From a project management point of view, this has been fantastic," Ms Zycki said, "we've delivered six months early and I'm really pleased with the result...

"There's environmental concerns we have to work through and special measures we have to take but we've done a great job and we're happy with our contractor," she said.

Ms Zycki said while bottlenecks are usually merely pushed further up the road following duplication projects, we're experiencing an unprecedented improvement to traffic at Kooragang.

Scot MacDonald agreed, saying motorists are reporting improved travel times by 20 minutes.

"It's more efficient, it's saving people time," he said, "it's one of our busiest roads, with 33,000 motorists making the commute here a day and that includes about 3000 heavy vehicles so it's going to help commuters, it's going to help people getting to the airport and getting into town."

The new infrastructure follows the controversial 2008 Labor decision to build a new single-lane bridge in replacement of the old one.

"If it was done properly 10 years ago, we wouldn't have had to spend $70 million," Mr MacDonald said, "so the taxpayers had to stump up all that extra money and wait a decade for this bridge and the duplication which should've been done in the first place."

Anna Zycki confirmed progress is on track for the connection to Industrial Drive, with some minor works to take place along the stretch "in the not too distant future."

Scot MacDonald, Anna Zycki and the Project Construction Team at Kooragang today. 

Pedestrian struck at Hamilton South

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

A 19-year-old man has been hit by a car at Hamilton South this morning.

Around 5:15 am, a car struck the young man on Gordon Avenue at Stewart Avenue, leaving him with injuries to his shoulder and knee.

Paramedics attended the scene to find the man breathing and alert, and he was taken via ambulance to the John Hunter Hospital.


It is understood the driver was left unharmed, while the accident caused the closure of one northbound lane.

Gordon Avenue at Stewart Avenue, Hamilton. Image: Google Maps.

Traffic confusion as new speed limit sets in

BY TYLER FARDELL

'Is the speed limit 60 or 70?'- its the question some motorists travelling along Thomas Street, Newcastle Road and Griffiths Road are asking themselves today, as a reduced speed limit comes into effect.

Despite the change, a number of 70 signs are still in place, putting unaware motorists at risk of being caught by the two speed cameras along the road.

Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery said she is disappointed in the rollout of the change.

"I'm concerned, because the RMS have forgotten to clearly introduce speed signs today on Newcastle Road, that some commuters will be caught out.

"So I'm asking the government to be lenient this week," she said.

The RMS say the limit was reduced because the roads are some of the most dangerous arterial routes in the state, however Sonia Hornery last week called on Minister for Roads, Melinda Pavey to release crash figures justifying the move.

She said she wants to know what speed people were travelling during crashes along the stretch, as reducing speed is not the best way to reduce accidents and congestion.