Hunter region

Widening of Toronto Road

Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) is planning for the future widening of a two kilometre section of Toronto Road between Fennell Bay and Booragul.

The Wallsend to Morisset route provides the main road access for the residential, commercial and recreational areas on the western side of Lake Macquarie. In January 2007, the Five Islands upgrade project was opened to traffic and has significantly reduced traffic delays along the route. An upgrade at the intersection of Toronto Road and Enterprise Way at Woodrising was completed on 30 June 2010 to improve road safety for traffic exiting and entering Enterprise Way.

Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) has reviewed its long term scheme to widen Toronto Road on the eastern side between Fennell Bay (Macquarie Road intersection) and Booragul (Rens Street). Options have been investigated to widen the existing road to four lanes on either the eastern or western side.

Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) has identified the western option as the preferred route as it minimises potential impacts on the local community and the surrounding environment.

Objectives and benefits

The objective of the review is to identify a corridor for the future widening of Toronto Road. The road corridor can then be included in Lake Macquarie City Council's Local Environmental Plan and preserved for future widening.

Future widening of Toronto Road to four lanes would provide the following benefits:

Increased road capacity for future growth to reduce traffic congestion.
Improved road safety for through and local traffic.
Enhanced cyclist and pedestrian safety.

Fennell Bay to Booragul

Local constraints

Environmental and engineering studies have been undertaken in the area to identify local constraints and assist with the development of widening options. Assessing of constraints and issues were identified for consideration during the selection of a preferred option include:

Eastern side

Two schools specifically Fennell Bay Public School at the southern end and St Paul's High School at the northern end.
Residential suburbs including Woodrising, Marmong Point, Fennell Bay, Bolton Point and Booragul.
A State significant wetland located 700m east of Toronto Road and Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area located 1km to the south east.
The area between the existing road and the houses has been identified as providing an important corridor for fauna to move between the high quality habitat on the western side and to the wetland and conservation area on the eastern side.

Western side

Large areas of natural bushland on the western side of Toronto Road.
A service road at the southern end which provides access to properties.
The Main Northern Railway is located in close proximity to Toronto Road at the northern end.

Preferred option

Roads and Maritime Services' (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) research chowed the western option seemed to have the greatest benefits. It provides the best overall balance between environmental, social and technical considerations. The preferred western option:

Is further away from a larger number of residences on the eastern side of the route.
Minimises potential impacts such as noise, on the majority of residents in the study area.
Minimises potential impacts on the two local schools.
Minimises impacts on the eastern fauna movement corridor.
Minimises visual impacts by maintaining the existing vegetation on the eastern side of Toronto Road.

However, Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) wanted community views on all the options before making a decision.

Consultation

Communtiy comments were sought in July and August 2010 on Roads and Maritime Services' (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) work to date. All comments were important to finalising a preferred option. As of April 2011 this has not been finalised.