Night work continues on John Renshaw Drive bridge at Tarro

BY JARROD MELMETH

Motorists are being advised of changed traffic conditions between Tuesday 30 January and Thursday 1 February for maintenance work on John Renshaw Drive Bridge over the New England Highway.

Roads and Maritime Services are carrying out the works which, involves replacing one bridge joint and damaged sound walls.

Works will be carried out between 7pm and 6am to reduce the impact to motorists, while lane closures and a reduced 40km/h speed limit will remain in place during the three day period.

Motorists are advised that the works may affect travel times and to follow the direction of traffic control and signs and keep to the reduced speed limits.

The John Renshaw Drive bridge over the New England Highway at Tarro.

Repair Work on Industrial Drive Beginning Sunday.

BY DANIELLE RIES

This weekend, Newcastle City Council will carry out maintenance and repair work on Industrial Drive at Mayfield West.

The repairs will include drainage repairs east of William Street and will be carried out at night time between 7pm to 5am.

The work will be conducted between Sunday the 12th to Thursday the 16th of November, with weather permitting.

Motorists are being advised to stick to changed traffic conditions, which includes a reduced speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour and lane closures to ensure the safety of both workers and motorists.

Vanessa Allan Erikson from Roads and Maritime Services says motorists should remain patient and follow changed road conditions.

"It may affect travel time, so for the safety workers and motorists, lane closures and reduce speed of 60 kilometres per hour will be in place and basically to reduce the impact to motorists, the work is being carried out at night."

She also states motorists can stay up to date with the repair works via their website.

"For the latest updates, we advise people to call 132 701, or please visit livetraffic.com, or please download the live traffic NSW app."

Industrial Drive Newcastle.
Credit- expressway.online

Council Defends Closure of Cabbage Tree Road

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Port Stephens Council say the diversions they've put in place while Cabbage Tree Road in Williamtown is closed is the best option.

Diversions are being put in place while $1.35 million worth of essential maintenance is carried out by council on behalf of the Roads and Maritime Services to improve both the safety and longevity of the road.

Cabbage Tree Road will be completely closed from now until December, Monday to Saturday, between 7am and 5pm. Council say a full road closure with diversions rather than using a stop/go method of diverting traffic was the best option.

Capital Works Section Manager Phil Miles said when they've used the contraflow method of diverting traffic before it caused even more traffic problems.

"The first stage between Masonite Road and the current works was undertaken using contraflow which is the stop/slow traffic gets to go in both directions and the experience from that was nobody won, it was significant traffic delays for commuters and businesses going in both directions."

The detours will add up to half an hour of travel time for westbound motorists via either Richardson Road towards Raymond Terrace or Nelson Bay Road towards Newcastle.

"For those travelling from Nelson Bay all the way through to Sydney very minimal delays. For those coming from the Hunter to the airport and then heading home, again there's a relatively minimal detour. The local residents are clearly going to be the most affected as they always are with roadworks."

Williamtown Residents Prepare For More Pain.

BY IAN CROUCH

Just when residents of Cabbage Tree Road at Williamtown were coming to grips with the RAAF Base contamination crisis and a cancer cluster, they're about to burdened with a couple of months of inconvenience.

They're discovered road work is about to start, which will see the westbound lane of the road closed from October 9 until early December.

It means some residents will be forced to take a 30 minute detour just to access their homes.

Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington says this is simply unacceptable, and does not understand why temporary traffic lights could not be used instead.

"I just don't understand why this is going to be a complete block-off of the westbound traffic, so that the families going to and from work, taking their kids to school, they're going to have a significant detour," she said.

Drivers Rejoice! Speed Limit Back to 80km/hr on Maitland Road

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Motorists are being advised that the 80km/hr speed limit is back on Maitland Road at Sandgate after months of safety works.

Roads and Maritime Services carried out maintenance work on Ironbark Creek Bridge which involved upgrading the central median and bridge barriers to ensure its safe use into the future.

There will be slight changes to traffic conditions with line marking and other work still being completed.

It's back to 80km/hr from 5am tomorrow.

Maitland median strips need attention

BY RACHEL STORER

Councillor Philip Penfold on an overgrown media strip in Maitland. Image: maitlandmercury.com.au

Median strips in Maitland are being neglected by the Roads and Maritime Service says Councillor Philip Penfold.

Residents have been making constant complaints to council about the overgrown state of the New England Highway that runs through the city.

Councillor Penfold said the RMS allocation to maintain the highway median strips is insufficient and the job should be given to the council.

"The council don't own the highway or the median strip, but I think it's time the council take that over," he said.

"We need to make sure this centrepiece of our beautiful city is enhanced and kept to a proper standard".

Cr Penfold says the state of the highway was particularly disappointing over the Easter weekend with many visitors in the city.

"I think the RMS should adequately fund [the council] so we can make sure the city is kept to the standard that the residents expect."

Calls Continue For Full Interchange At John Hunter Hospital

BY IAN CROUCH

Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery has raised the issue of the traffic gridlock at the John Hunter Hospital in parliament as calls continue for a full interchange to be built to connect the hospital with the proposed 5th stage of Newcastle Inner City Bypass.

Frustrated staff and patients say it can take up to an hour to negotiate the traffic around the main entrance to the hospital in Lookout Road.

Plans put forward by Roads and Maritime Services only allow for motorists travelling to and from the north to use the interchange.

Sonia Hornery says she's written to the Hunter New England Local Health District, the Ministers for Roads and Health and Roads and Maritime Services but is yet to receieve a response.

 

“Staff and paramedics are concerned that because the roads around the Hospital are so congested, that ambulances are being delayed in getting critically ill patients to the Emergency Department.” and “The problem would be eased greatly by the Minister for Roads ensuring a full interchange is built as part of Stage 5 of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass,” she said.

Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery

Maitland Councillor Calls For New England Highway Fix

BY IAN CROUCH

Maitland councillor, Bob Geoghegan is calling for the heavy afternoon traffic buildup on the New England Highway at the Maitland station roundabout to be fixed as soon as possible.

The traffic queues coming along the highway from East Maitland often stretch back 800 metres, yet there are no traffic queues for motorists travelling to Cessnock from Rutherford and the city centre, as they both have priority over traffic coming from East Maitland.

He says it means motorists are using Maitland Park and Park Street as 'rat runs', then u-turn on Cessnock Road, sometimes choking the slip lane, so they can keep driving towards Rutherford.

Bob Geoghegan has suggested traffic lights at the roundabout as an easy fix, but Roads and Maritime Service haven't commented on the issue yet.

Maitland Councillor Bob Geoghegan Picture: Maitland Mercury

Morpeth Bridge is closing again, prompting fears from business owners.

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Morpeth Bridge is undergoing yet another round of restoration works which has forced its full closure from today until 6pm on Monday - much to the dismay of many local businesses.

The closure is required for the installation of temporary support structures which will allow remediation work to be undertaken.

However the weekend is often the busiest time of the week for trade and with one road into the town closed off, local business owners fear their profit will be at another loss.

Local business owner Andrew Mason says while the community are supportive of the bridge closure so it stays fully functioning into the future, businesses still have grave concerns.

"Typically the businesses reported at the last business closure a significant drop in revenue for that weekend and we have approached RMS [Roads and Maritime Services] to discuss with them how we might solve that problem for the businesses not for this closure but for the following closures which will occur in May and August this year."

Andrew says there wasn't enough communication between the RMS and local businesses regarding the closures, but hopes this will change in the future.

Local businesses have already had one win with the closure scheduled for Mother's Day weekend in May being moved to earlier in the week.

There will be two more bridge closures this year including May, and another in August.

Image courtesy of http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au

McCaffrey Drive residents bypassed

BY DECLAN PAYNE

The Roads and Maritime Services today announced the environmental impact statement (EIS) and concept design for the proposed fifth section of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, but not all residents are satisfied.

Residents of McCaffery Drive had demanded the bypass include on and off ramps but the proposal lacks the much sought after ramps.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald said there was feedback from the community on the ramps.

"People had their say there...RMS do take on board feedback, but you can't satisfy everybody on such a major project."

The $280 million design stretches 3.4 kilometres and will link Rankin Park and Jesmond, interchanging north with Newcastle Road, south at Lookout Road, and a half interchange giving traffic access to the John Hunter Hospital.

Mr MacDonald said the public is being urged to have their say on the proposal.

"The community is invited to have a say on the EIS and the concept design which outlines key features of the project and assesses potential environmental, social and economic impacts throughout the project life cycle," MacDonald said.

"Roads and Maritime has prepared an overview booklet which summarises the assessment of key issues, design features, project benefits and how to make a submission during the EIS display."

The public can have their say at drop in sessions at Silver Ridge Community Cottage in Wallsend on Saturday 26th of November, and Thursday 1st of December.

Alternatively, submissions can be made online.

The proposed fifth section to the Newcastle Inner City Bypass. Source: rms.nsw.gov.au

Pedestrian Safety Improvement on the way for Kurri Kurri

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

Pedestrians crossing Lang Street at Kurri Kurri will soon have safer services, with the state government announcing a new pedestrian refuge will be installed.

Scot MacDonald

The refuge, between Mitchell Avenue and Merthyr Street, will cost a grand total of $200,000 and will give elderly people and those with prams better access to crossing the road.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald says the government decided to install the refuge “to give a little bit more safety”.

“Lang Street is a much busier road these days, according to the locals,” he said.

“Most of that is put down to the Hunter Expressway and all the changes that have followed from there.

“The pedestrians are really feeling the pressure a little bit.”

The government is also calling on residents to have their say on the refuge, with more information and contact information available on the Roads and Maritime Services website.

One major change that will come from the refuge will be the removal of on-street parking.

Up to four spaces will be removed, as the government looks to ensure people have adequate access to the crossing, as well as sufficient sight lines.

Scot MacDonald says it’s a small price to pay for pedestrian safety.

“Pedestrian safety, versus probably the removal of three or four parking spaces,” he said.

“I think we’ve got to come down on the side of making it safer for people getting across the road.

“A little bit of inconvenience is a reasonable price to pay.”