The F3 wet weather speed demonstration project is located only on the northbound carriageway of the Sydney to Newcastle freeway (F3 freeway) between the Hawkesbury River and Mount White. This section of the freeway has a history of speed related crashes in wet weather.
For this project a wet weather variable speed limit zone will be enforced by a single fixed digital speed camera. The zone uses static as well as electronic variable speed limit signs and cover a distance of approximately 6 kilometres.
The signs are linked to two weather stations and pavement moisture detectors. While the speed limit will be changed automatically though the use of weather stations, the signs can also be monitored and changed manually by operators at the RTA's Transport Management Centre in Sydney.
Wet weather crashes on the F3 freeway
Long term climatic data from the nearby Bureau of Meteorology Automatic Weather Station at Gosford shows that, on average, 32 per cent of days in this area experience rain each year. In contrast 57 per cent of all crashes in this area occur in the rain. This is substantially higher than expected.
Speeding was identified as a contributing factor in almost 60 per cent of crashes that occurred in this area during wet weather compared to only 27 per cent of crashes that occurred in fine weather.
The speed limit on this section of the F3 will be 100 km/h. When it is raining the speed limit will drop to 90 km/h.
There are no plans at this stage to change the speed limit on other sections of the F3.
F3 wet weather zone
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