Friends of Mona Vale Road Upgrade Comments
Rob Stokes Pittwater MP and Duncan Gay Minister for Roads Stand on the Roundabout that will be removed and Replaced with Traffic Lights
Thursday, 27th August 2015
Transport Roads & Maritime Services
Mona Vale Road East Upgrade
PO Box 973
Parramatta NSW 2124
mo[email protected]
Transport Roads & Maritime Services
Mona Vale Road East Upgrade
PO Box 973
Parramatta NSW 2124
mo[email protected]
Dear Sir / Madam
As a concerned citizens group of Mona Vale we wish to make the following comments: -
1. Mona Vale Road Corridor
• The upgrade of Mona Vale Road should be on the alignment of the original Mona Vale
Road corridor, designed by the County of Cumberland Planning Scheme 1948, and later
abandoned by Premier Greiner and Local Member Longley.
• The corridor is on easy grades from Lane Cove Road (east) to Terry Hills.
2. Mona Vale Road East Option B
• Easy grade “Greenfield” climbing lanes with pedestrian and cycleways (Daydream Street
to Manor / Lane Cove Road).
• Resumption of Escarpment Property 120 / 122 Mona Vale Road (illegally cleared in
1994) for road construction and bush regenerated as off sets.
• Existing Road used for downhill lanes and upgraded if necessary on completion of
“Greenfield” climbing lanes.
• Nil traffic interference during construction.
• Option B “Greenfield Climbing Lanes” has not been properly investigated and tested by
RMS (as evidenced by GIPA response).
3. Safety
• 80 kph design speed is contrary to safety issues and unnecessary.
• 60 kph speed limit (and hence design speed) should be extended from Mona Vale to the
top of the hill.
• Gravel arrestor bed at the foot of the hill is good but is catching vehicles at maximum
runaway speed. The gravel arrestor bed needs to be extended up the hill and on both
sides of the road (similar West Gosford).
• Safety exit ramps need to be installed at 119 and 117 Mona Vale Road.
• Intersection at foot of the hill with traffic lights at Ponderosa / Samuel Street needs to
be replaced with an overpass.
• The proposed overpass at Wirreanda Road (with dangerous slip roads at foot of hill)
should be deleted and the money spent on the Ponderosa / Samuel Street overpass.
(Access to Wirreanda Valley can be provided by a new Ingleside internal road linking
Chiltern Road).
• Descending truck speed limits need to be defined and enforced with two fixed speed
cameras.
• Speed cameras can be installed on combined wild life / pedestrian / cyclists overpasses
providing safe access for camera maintenance at 119 and 117 Mona Vale Road.
4. New Suburb of Ingleside
• Need to link North and South Ingleside.
• Need to link Ingleside to Mona Vale and Terry Hills with easy pedestrian and cyclist
access.
• Construction of wild life / pedestrian / cyclist / vehicular bridges at Laurel Road and
Ingleside Road (similar Carter Road Menai). This may require adjustment of the
proposed vertical alignment of Mona Vale Road. However no longitudinal section has
been exhibited by RMS.
• Overpass at Manor Road / Lane Cove Road.
• Underpass at Powderworks Road.
5. Wildlife
• Vegetative overpasses required as well as underpasses.
• Use of combined vehicular / pedestrian / cyclist / wildlife bridges (see Carter Road
Menai).
6. New Pedestrian Cyclist
• If “Greenfield’s” Option B not used with associated pedestrian / cyclist facilities, the Old
Foley Hill alignment of Lane Cove Road is a good grade for pedestrians and cyclists.
• This needs to be designed with Mona Vale Road upgrade, and not as an after thought.
• The use of combined wildlife / pedestrian / cyclist bridges (see Carter Road Menai).
7. Escarpment Landscape
• Upgrade should enhance the landscape pf the Escarpment and not destroy it.
• The present proposal of 7 lanes (4 + 2 + 1) will destroy the existing Hawkesbury
sandstone rock outcrops, which define the Escarpment.
• The present proposal of 7 lanes (4 + 2 + 1) is out of scale with this landscape.
• Option B “Greenfield’s climbing lanes” (2 + 1) retains the existing scale of the Mona Vale
Road (2 + 1) descending the Escarpment.
• The effect of this upgrade on the landscape should be of prime consideration.
8. New Landscape Treatment
• If the present proposal of 7 lanes (4 + 2 + 1) is used retention of existing sandstone as a
median strip treatment through each cutting will reduce the scale of the road and hence
adverse visual impact (similar Professor Spooner’s Newcastle Freeway).
• A continuous concrete barrier with sympathetic texture and colouring, between the
sandstone median strips will separate oncoming traffic from head on collisions, reducing
head light glare and provide a slide barrier for runaway vehicles (similar West Gosford
and Newcastle Freeway).
• The present proposal of 7 lanes (4 + 2 + 1) will destroy the existing Hawkesbury
sandstone rock outcrops, which define the Escarpment.
9. Noise
• Sound walls are required where there are no cuttings.
• Truck exhaust braking prohibited and truck low gear enforcement.
10. Lighting
• Non spill lighting.
• The needs of the wildlife taken into account
Yours Faithfully
Friends of Mona Vale Road