The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) has completed a study of options for the future upgrade of the Pacific Highway at Wyong. Following investigations and community consultation the RTA has identified ‘widening the existing carriageway’ as the preferred highway upgrade option.
The Pacific Highway through Wyong is currently a single lane in each direction. The RTA undertook a corridor study to establish a preferred corridor for the future location of the Pacific Highway through Wyong to inform planning and development of Wyong town centre.
Involving the community
In 2006 the RTA displayed western, eastern and central corridor options for community feedback. The community was invited to indicate a preferred corridor and/or a preferred option for the central corridor.
From the 196 written submissions received the key issues raised were in relation to:
- Addressing traffic volumes.
- Parking for commuters and retail.
- Improving pedestrian access.
- Urban design and local businesses.
The majority of respondents agreed that the eastern or western corridors had unacceptable impacts and as such should not be further examined. The RTA has concluded that the preferred corridor is the central corridor, through the township of Wyong.
Options investigation
Of the four options displayed for the central corridor, the community expressed preference for ‘widening the existing carriageway’ or a ‘split level carriageway’. The community also suggested that other options be considered by the RTA. The following options were therefore investigated:
- A tunnel.
- A land bridge (replacing the transport interchange).
- An alignment utilising Howarth Street.
- A widened highway (previously displayed option 2).
- A split level carriageway (previously displayed option 3).
The factors used to compare the alignment options included:
- Potential loss of business/retail trade.
- Impact on the heritage buildings.
- Ability to meet future traffic volumes.
- Affects on local traffic movement within the town centre itself.
- Ability for pedestrians to move around the town centre.
- Loss of parking spaces.
- Road geometry and how the works could be constructed.
- Estimated costs.
The reasons why widening the existing carriageway is now the preferred option are summarised on the comparison table below.
Identifying a preferred option completes the RTA’s investigations and will inform future planning and development of the Wyong town centre.
The preferred option alignment would:
- Allow two through lanes in each direction.
- Retain business and retail exposure to passing traffic.
- Retain parking in the town centre generally on the western side of the highway between Church Street and North Road.
- Remove parking on the eastern side of the Pacific Highway.
- Retain the transport interchange in its current configuration with the loss of some parking in the commuter car park (which would need to be replaced with more parking on the eastern side of the railway station).
- Provide convenient pedestrian crossings across the Pacific Highway between Church Street and Anzac Avenue.
- Allow Church Street and Anzac Avenue traffic to circulate into and out of the township.
- Integrate the existing palm trees into the future town centre design.
- Incorporate the Wyong heritage theme into the the future town centre design.
Visit a display
The preferred option on display until Friday 5 September 2008 at the following locations:
Wyong Motor Registry
Corner Anzac Avenue and Hely Street, Wyong
Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5pm,
Saturday from 8.30am to noon.
Wyong Shire Council Civic Centre,
16 Hely Street, Wyong
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Toukley Motor Registry,
325 Main Road,Toukley
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
RTA Central Coast Office
The Pavilion, Upper Level
29 George Street, Woy Woy
Monday to Friday from 9am to 4.30pm.
Staffed information day
Visit the community information day at any time on Thursday 21 August 2008 from 10am to 8pm at the Oasis Youth Centre on the corner of Hely Street and Anzac Avenue, Wyong to discuss the project with staff from the RTA and submit your comments.
Time extended to provide comments
The comment period for the community to make submissions has been extended until Friday 28 November 2008.
Further information
More information is contained in the Wyong Options Investigations Report, 2008.
The RTA has also developed a drive through simulation of the preferred option and 3D perspectives of the options.
Privacy
All information is collected for the sole purpose of assisting in the assessment of the proposal. All information received, including names and addresses of respondents, may be published in subsequent assessment documents unless a clear indication is given in the correspondence that such information is not to be published.
Further information
Copies of the options study and community update are available on this website in the documents box below.
If you require further information please contact the Central Coast Office on (02) 4379 7001 or email Central_Coast_Office@rta.nsw.gov.au.
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