NRE Colliery to Cordeaux Colliery

The project involves installing around 2.3km of concrete median barriers, correcting pavement shape, road and shoulder widening and improvements to road drainage.

The aim of this project is to decrease the risk of head on crashes and run off road crashes.

Progress: Work started in late June 2011 and is progressing well. The construction of the eastbound shoulder widening is complete and drainage improvements and shoulder widening works have now started on the westbound side of Picton Road. The road configuration during construction will consist of a single 3.5m wide lane with a 0.5m wide sealed outer shoulder in each direction.

Completion is scheduled for July 2012 weather permitting.

Current road conditions: The existing westbound lane is closed and westbound traffic is diverted onto the eastbound overtaking lane.

Work hours are typically from 7am to 6pm

A reduced speed limit of 60km/h is in place during construction and motorists are advised to allow additional time while travelling throughout this project.

PROJECTS TO BE CONSTRUCTED

Stage Two of Mount Keira Road to 3.5km west of Mount Keira Road

• Currently scheduled to begin June 2012, weather permitting. Preconstruction activities will start in late May 2012.

The remaining stage of this project involves improving the two curves approximately 1.5km west of Mount Keira Road intersection with a significant road re-alignment; installing a concrete median; road and shoulder widening; extending the westbound overtaking lane and improvements to road drainage.

The works proposed over this length of Picton Road are designed to reduce the risk of off road, head-on and loss of control crashes.  During construction there will be ongoing lane changes and further detail will be provided prior to construction starting.

Preconstruction activities

Pre construction activities include site set up and vegetation removal.

Concrete barriers will be installed for most of the length of this site to allow pre construction activities to start safely. This removes the overtaking opportunity for westbound traffic and will also decrease the length of the eastbound overtaking lane at this location during these activities.

COMPLETED PICTON ROAD SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

Safety improvements already completed along Picton Road have included:

• Installing concrete median barrier east of Macarthur Drive – completed February 2011.
• Installing concrete median barrier east of NRE Colliery – completed January 2011.
• Building one police enforcement bay - completed July 2010.
• Installing new concrete median barriers west of Cordeaux Colliery and west of Mount Ousley Road interchange - completed March 2010.
• Improving the Mount Keira Road intersection - completed March 2010.
• Improving the pavement west of NRE Colliery – December 2009.
• Rebuilding the concrete median west of Janderra Lane - completed September 2009.
• Clear zone improvements for the eastern 15 kms of Picton Road - completed July 2009.
• Intersection improvements at Almond Street, Wilton – completed June 2009.
• Building five NSW Police Force enforcement pads - completed May 2009.
• Cordeaux Dam curve and intersection improvements- completed August 2011
• Stage 1 of Mount Keira Rd to 3.5km west of Mount Keira Rd-completed August 2011