MOD 2 - The Crescent overpass and active transport links

This plan completely ignores the conditions of consent given for this project and threatens to impose even more on the landscape and liveability of our local area. Therefore I object to it.

I live in the beautiful city of Sydney - a Southern Hemisphere 19c gem. It is a bush setting. Why are you endangering that with removing the bush?

Why accept a late proposal by the contractor over the wishes of the residents and the approved plan?

I’m concerned that this Los Angeles style overpass will:
Have an unacceptable and unnecessary visual impact, and obstruct a significant local mural;
Make it more difficult for pedestrians to access Jubilee Park from Johnston St Annandale and the Rozelle Goods Yards in Lilyfield;
Destroy over 70 trees including the large, mature fig trees at Buruwan Park; and
Fail to solve Sydney's traffic congestion problem.

Enhance Sydney's beauty by abandoning this overpass? The Bay Precinct is so picturesque - a homage to the early maritime history - both colonial and Aboriginal - of this area. Honour that! Don't be remembered as the government who ruined that area!

It will cause more pollution, traffic, spoil the landscape. It was supposed to be underground. I object to the visual impact to the beautiful foreshore and landscape. Why remove even more trees from the environment.

I totally oppose the Westconnex project, which is 20 years out of date compared with best practice urban design, ineffective for what it purports to achieve, polluting and costly.

If you insist on progressing this section of it, I have severe concerns about the current plan. What was promised had some merit:
Unobtrusive underground tunnel allowing traffic from The Crescent to cross the City West Link without stopping at traffic lights
Single safe, direct pedestrian and cycling access from The Rozelle Goods Yard at Lilyfield to the Glebe foreshore and Annandale via an above ground vegetated ‘green link’
Maintained right turn from Johnston St into The Crescent
Shared user pathways considerate and connected into the Bays Precinct Master Plan
Preservation of the ‘people’s mural’ on The Crescent.

All these features have been lost under the latest proposed plan. This plan must be totally revised. It is out of step with the scale of Annandale, will obstruct a local heritage mural and destroy Buruwan Park. My objection is on the following grounds:
1 The elevated overpass is totally at odds with local development standards and will have a significant negative visual impact. It will overshadow the historically important mural along the northern side of the viaduct along The Crescent.
Solution: This proposal could be replaced with a trench running under Whites Creek to move traffic underground instead of overground.
2 The new design severely impedes pedestrian access to Bicentennial Park and Jubilee Park, contrary to good urban design principles. Residents value our foreshore access.
Solution: This pedestrian arrangement should be modified to allow pedestrians to cross direct from Johnston Street to the Park via The Crescent.
3 This design proposes to rip up Buruwan Park and all the vegetation at that site including over 70 trees and several beautiful mature fig trees. This small park is a delightfully shaded pedestrian thoroughfare. Council is trying to increase shade cover; this plan removes it.
Solution: This proposal should be modified to make every possible effort to save these trees and vegetation.
4 This modification would abandon one of the centrepieces of the original design: a pedestrian and cycling green link to connect the Rozelle Goods Yard to Bicentennial Park. This feature would have enhanced the liveability of our area and encouraged active transport and exercise. The new plan creates an unnecessarily long walk for pedestrians and an unnecessarily high climb of 5+ metres, while prioritising vehicle use.
Solution: This proposal should be modified to reinstate a continuous green link from Rozelle Goods Yard, across the City West Link into Jubilee Park, giving pedestrian traffic the priority it deserves.

We need green space in our area to support community living and encourage our kids to play more outdoors. I strongly object to this modification.
Best wishes Lucy.

Whilst I generally support your project I do not support destroying 70 trees including the large, mature fig trees at Buruwan Park. Are you able to look into way of keeping the mature figs?

The Crescent overpass and active transport links Modification will remove the continuous GreenLink connecting Rozelle across the City-West Link to the foreshore. The Greenlink was designed to safely reconnect Innerwest communities and provide direct access to the water.
There seem to be a number of significant impacts to our community and how we safely access the foreshore from Annandale, Lilyfield and Rozelle - even Forest Lodge and Glebe.
RMS are asking for feedback and it is the only opportunity to push them to look at alternate options and reinstate safe, direct access as in the approved GreenLink.

While I support the Westconnex project generally I have specific concerns about the revised proposed plans regarding an elevated road overpass from the crescent to the ANZAC bridge. I believe this overpass with have the following negative outcomes:

• The elevated road overpass will have detrimental view impacts to neighbouring residential properties and vistas from public open space to the harbour including critical land to water interfaces of the foreshore to harbour. This will directly negatively impact the value of neighbouring properties and I’m certain if we were discussing a proposed residential development with the same impact, that it would not be granted approved based on these impacts. Why would these same impacts be deemed acceptable when discussing infrastructure projects where there are many other viable options.
• The proposed elevated road will create unnecessary and unacceptable noise impacts to neighbouring residential properties due to the nature of the road being elevated and direct line of sight to neighbouring residential properties
• While I believe it is critical to create a link from the Crescent to the ANZAC Bridge that bypasses the signalised intersection, I believe this could be successfully achieved through a small underpass which would then remove all permanent operation view and noise impacts of the proposed overpass.
• By utilising an underpass instead of the overpass, this would mean the proposed pedestrian green link would no longer need to be compromised and the original design could be retained. It is critical that this green link is connected directly to the harbour foreshore, not the wrong side of the road which is 6 lanes wide and very difficult to cross.

To remove the greenway due to the overpass is objectionable for the following reasons:
1 -Bicentennia;l/Jubilee park is a very important amenity for the residents of the local area, and is used by many in the area for exercise. To remove the current greenways access removes this amenity for many of the local population
2 - Removal of the right turn from Johnston Street into The Crescent will be a major inconvenience for much of the local population as there is no reasonable alternative to this due to the no right-turns at Trafalger and William Streets
3 - Annandale is a very family-friendly suburb, which is shown by the very small catchment area for Annandale North School. The requirement to cross three different intersections to access Bicentennial Park is unacceptable considering.
4 - Although the new motorway is required for greater Sydney residents, there have been multiple protests by the local communities regarding the effects this will have. This is another example of NSW Transport making car access of greater importance than the local community.
5 - Creating a new green space is a fantastic addition to the local area, but to cut off Forest Lodge and Annandale from the Green Link will only reduce the usage. An alternative needs to be included.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
Whilst I have been generally supportive of Westconnex, the proposal for an overpass in Annandale is completely unacceptable.
It goes against the conditions of consent that was given to this project and impacts both landscape and amenity of the area. Aside from the visual blight this creates, it increases the noise in the area, creates shadowing and reduce pedestrian access.
This should not be approved as this in no way provides a better solution to anybody except the contractor.
Yours faithfully,
Tony Thomas

Application: SSI 7485

Dear Director Transport Assessments Planning Services,

As a local resident and frequent cycling commuter I have serious concerns over the proposed changes in plans for The Crescent overpass.

I write regarding the proposed modification to M4-M5 Link, Mod 2 The Crescent overpass and changes to pedestrian infrastructure in North Annandale, Rozelle and Rozelle Bay Foreshore area.

I request RMS work with the community to explore alternate design options to the proposed new car overpass design and the changed pedestrian and cyclist links. I am seeking the reinstatement of the safe, direct access from the approved EIS GreenLink to create a continuous green open space connection from the Rozelle Rail yards and Annandale to the foreshore. The GreenLink was more than just a walk way - it put people central to the design, maximising safety, and providing much needed accessible open space for the community now and into the future Bays Precinct design.

I am requesting RMS put people back into the plan – we want you to reinstate your own vision as laid out in Transport for NSW Future Strategy 2056. Work with us to design a feasible option that brings the best elements from the approved EIS design into the modification.

My key concerns with the M4-M5 Modification are:
The significantly reduced safety and increased risk for pedestrians and cyclists with removed access over The Crescent to Bicentennial Park and the increased traffic along Johnson Street.
Being required to cross five sets of pedestrian lights at The Crescent as my option to reach the foreshore from Annandale or from Rozelle Bay light rail stop.
Removal of direct active links to the foreshore, cutting the community off from the area and the proposed revitalisation of the entire Bays Precinct, including linking the Light Rail and Bus stops to a Ferry wharf and Metro station.
Urban and landscape design that is being built before a finalised Masterplan for the area.
Traffic changes that limit movements around the suburb and create further congestion in the local streets of Annandale, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Lilyfield and Rozelle with no planning to deal with these.

My submission is asking RMS and the Project Team to:
Reinstate the GreenLink connecting communities and green open space from Rozelle to Bicentennial Park
Relocate and design pedestrian and cyclist connections that are continuous, safe and direct.
Design the modification infrastructure and active links in response to the character of the suburbs, the location of the foreshore and it’s potential future development.
Provide pedestrian and cyclist paths that maximise people safety and do not force them onto busier streets, unsafe concrete plazas and caged walkways.
Integrate active and direct connections to all active transport – including the future Metro West and Foreshore Ferry Wharf

Yours Sincerely,
Name: Paulo Guerreiro
Address: 54 Charles St LEICHHARDT NSW 2040
Email: [email protected]

This project is, in my view, a poorly thought out project that does nothing to ease transport difficulty in the inner west. In fact, from recent experience it is making it worse as a large number of cars coming from the new M4 are being decanted onto our local roads. My daily commute is longer, more congested and extremely unpleasant. Having said that, I accept that the government is determined to ride roughshod over us and inflict this monstrosity on our suburbs. Accordingly, I am making this submission in hopes of ameliorating the worst impacts.

First, any modifications that enable massive visual blights, such as the proposed new road overpass at the Rozelle interchange, should be scrapped, and the intersection should be (as promised) underground. Secondly, there should be no further reduction in tree cover to make way for these new roads. That includes replacing trees already lost. Thirdly, the "green path" should not be relocated as the proposed relocation makes it harder to use active transport options, specifically it appears to require cyclists and pedestrians to navigate a number of traffic lights to move between Leichhardt, Rozelle and Annandale.

As a general comment, having been through this "consultation" process and been repeatedly lied to, I have little faith that an ordinary "quiet Australian" will have any influence on the juggernaut that this project and the government in general have become. But if silence is consent, then let me be clear - I am not consenting, I'm furious, heartbroken at what my home cand community are having to endure. And I wish that we had a government that governs in our best interests...

I am absolutely horrified by the proposed changes. This link was originally planned as an underground 'underpass' at the intersection of the City West Link and The Crescent. The changed plan completely ignores the conditions of consent given for this project and threatens to impose even more on the landscape and liveability of our local area.
I’m concerned that this Los Angeles style overpass will have an unacceptable and unnecessary visual impact.
It will be more difficult for pedestrians to access Jubilee Park from Johnston St Annandale and the Rozelle Goods Yards in Lilyfield. Over 70 trees including the large, mature fig trees at Buruwan Park will be destroyed. I can see absolutely no positive outcome from the changes. The only entity that would benefit would be the developer because it is clearly cheaper.

My family and I, object to the RMS and John Holland new proposed elevated overpass at the intersection of The Crescent and City West Link. (Application number SSI 7485)
We, along with friends and members of our community have NOT given any consent to any further changes from the original plans.
The community STRONGLY want to maintain the areas greenspace, in fact, provide greater public recreational area’s and allow for better public access to the foreshores. Therefore all roads are to remain underground as originally planned.

I write regarding the proposed modification to M4-M5 Link, Mod 2 The Crescent overpass and changes to pedestrian infrastructure in North Annandale, Rozelle and Rozelle Bay Foreshore area.

I request RMS work with the community to explore alternate design options to the proposed new car overpass design and the changed pedestrian and cyclist links. I am seeking the reinstatement of the safe, direct access from the approved EIS GreenLink to create a continuous green open space connection from the Rozelle Rail yards and Annandale to the foreshore. The GreenLink was more than just a walk way - it put people central to the design, maximising safety, and providing much needed accessible open space for the community now and into the future Bays Precinct design.

I am requesting RMS put people back into the plan – we want you to reinstate your own vision as laid out in Transport for NSW Future Strategy 2056. Work with us to design a feasible option that brings the best elements from the approved EIS design into the modification.

My key concerns with the M4-M5 Modification are:
● The significantly reduced safety and increased risk for pedestrians and cyclists with removed access over The Crescent to Bicentennial Park and the increased traffic along Johnson Street.
● Being required to cross five sets of pedestrian lights at The Crescent as my option to reach the foreshore from Annandale or from Rozelle Bay light rail stop.
● Removal of direct active links to the foreshore, cutting the community off from the area and the proposed revitalisation of the entire Bays Precinct, including linking the Light Rail and Bus stops to a Ferry wharf and Metro station.
● Urban and landscape design that is being built before a finalised Masterplan for the area.
● Traffic changes that limit movements around the suburb and create further congestion in the local streets of Annandale, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Lilyfield and Rozelle with no planning to deal with these.
My submission is asking RMS and the Project Team to:
● Reinstate the GreenLink connecting communities and green open space from Rozelle to Bicentennial Park
● Relocate and design pedestrian and cyclist connections that are continuous, safe and direct.
● Design the modification infrastructure and active links in response to the character of the suburbs, the location of the foreshore and it’s potential future development.
● Provide pedestrian and cyclist paths that maximise people safety and do not force them onto busier streets, unsafe concrete plazas and caged walkways.
● Integrate active and direct connections to all active transport – including the future Metro West and Foreshore Ferry Wharf

Global experience of major toll road construction has demonstrated conclusively that projects like this increase air pollution, encourage more car use, fleece road users with exorbitant tolls and eventually fill the increased road capacity they create.
This modification completely ignores the conditions of consent given for this project and threatens to impose unacceptable negative consequences on the landscape and liveability of our local area.
The proposed overpass is totally out of step with local development in Annandale and will obstruct a local heritage mural and destroy Buruwan Park. Sufficient consideration hasn’t been given to obvious alternatives such as an underground tunnel running under Whites Creek.

Destruction of mature fig trees at Buruwan Park
I am astounded that the removal of these trees has already begun, prior to the completion of the public consultation. This makes a mockery of the consultation process and I would like an explanation as to why this has occurred. This design proposes to rip up Buruwan Park and all the vegetation at that site including over 70 trees and several beautiful mature fig trees.
Removing this vegetation will impact on the liveability of our suburb by removing shade, making our local area warmer and destroying the green barrier it provides between the City West Link and residences. Even if these trees are replaced with saplings, it could take up to a decade for tree cover to return to this site.
Any modification to this proposal should make every possible effort to save these trees and vegetation. At a bare minimum, these trees should not be removed until a full Urban Design and Landscape Plan has been completed.

Relocation of the green link
This modification would abandon one of the centrepieces of the original design: a pedestrian and cycling green link to connect the Rozelle Goods Yard to Bicentennial Park.
Relocating that green link to the west of the intersection of The Crescent and City West Link ignores the original conditions of consent given for this project and puts the needs of motorists ahead of pedestrians and cyclists.
The proposed pedestrian bridge further north up the City West Link creates an unnecessarily long walk for pedestrians and an unnecessarily high climb of 5+ metres.
RMS and the contractors should reconsider other design options for a continuous green link from Rozelle Goods Yard, across the City West Link into Jubilee Park, including a link to Annandale and the Rozelle Bay light rail stop.

Increased local traffic in Annandale
This modification would remove the option to turn right out of Johnston Street into the Crescent, which will increase traffic through local streets including Piper Street and Booth Street.
These changed conditions will mean increased noise and emissions for residents in Annandale.


Visual impact and obstruction of ‘people’s mural’
This modification will impose hugely on the local landscape in the inner west. A new, elevated overpass is completely at odds with local development standards and will have a significant negative visual impact on Annandale and its surrounds.
That mural was commissioned by the Leichhardt Council in 1980 and inspired by political and social movements in the inner west. It is a dearly loved and historically important local artefact that should be protected.

The overpass will also obstruct Rodney Monk’s heritage mural, which decorates the northern side of the light rail viaduct along the Crescent. This proposal could be replaced with a slot cut and cover trench running under Whites Creek to push traffic underground instead of overground and avoid the massive imposition of an overpass and destruction of the ‘people’s mural’.


Pedestrian access to Bicentennial Park and Jubilee Park
This modification prioritises the needs of motorists, trashing the experience of local pedestrian traffic and making harder for residents to access the public waterfront.
Pedestrians walking from the Western side of Johnston Street will have to use an astonishing four pedestrian crossings in order to reach Bicentennial Park. This pedestrian arrangement should be modified to allow pedestrians to cross direct from Johnston Street to the Park via The Crescent.

I write regarding the proposed modification to M4-M5 Link, Mod 2 The Crescent overpass and changes to pedestrian infrastructure in North Annandale, Rozelle and Rozelle Bay Foreshore area.

I request RMS work with the community to explore alternate design options to the proposed new car overpass design and the changed pedestrian and cyclist links. I am seeking the reinstatement of the safe, direct access from the approved EIS GreenLink to create a continuous green open space connection from the Rozelle Rail yards and Annandale to the foreshore. The GreenLink was more than just a walk way - it put people central to the design, maximising safety, and providing much needed accessible open space for the community now and into the future Bays Precinct design.

I am requesting RMS put people back into the plan – we want you to reinstate your own vision as laid out in Transport for NSW Future Strategy 2056. Work with us to design a feasible option that brings the best elements from the approved EIS design into the modification.

My key concerns with the M4-M5 Modification are:
● The significantly reduced safety and increased risk for pedestrians and cyclists with removed access over The Crescent to Bicentennial Park and the increased traffic along Johnson Street.
● Being required to cross five sets of pedestrian lights at The Crescent as my option to reach the foreshore from Annandale or from Rozelle Bay light rail stop.
● Removal of direct active links to the foreshore, cutting the community off from the area and the proposed revitalisation of the entire Bays Precinct, including linking the Light Rail and Bus stops to a Ferry wharf and Metro station.
● Urban and landscape design that is being built before a finalised Masterplan for the area.
● Traffic changes that limit movements around the suburb and create further congestion in the local streets of Annandale, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Lilyfield and Rozelle with no planning to deal with these.


My submission is asking RMS and the Project Team to:
● Reinstate the GreenLink connecting communities and green open space from Rozelle to Bicentennial Park
● Relocate and design pedestrian and cyclist connections that are continuous, safe and direct.
● Design the modification infrastructure and active links in response to the character of the suburbs, the location of the foreshore and it’s potential future development.
● Provide pedestrian and cyclist paths that maximise people safety and do not force them onto busier streets, unsafe concrete plazas and caged walkways.
● Integrate active and direct connections to all active transport – including the future Metro West and Foreshore Ferry Wharf

I write to provide my strong objection to the recently released WestConnex M4-M5 Link – Modification 2 The Crescent overpass, application number SSI 7485.

I have read the community guide to this modification (a file rather gallingly named “FINAL”) in detail and am deeply alarmed on a large number of issues that this guide raises. These relate jointly to the proposed modification of the intersection of Johnston St and The Crescent, and to the proposed construction of an overpass from The Crescent and resulting changes to pedestrian and cycle options (with relocation of the green link). It is clear that the proposal is vastly inferior to the those put forward previously, and flies in the face of the conditions of consent for this project. It is also clear that the proposed changes will have multiple dramatic negative consequences for local residents. My principal objections are as follows:

* The modification to the intersection of Johnston St and The Crescent is an abomination that looks set to have a wide range of negative consequences. The intention appears to be to increase traffic flow along The Crescent, which is doomed to fail given the single lane bottleneck that exists to the south east of the intersection. This intersection will be spread over a distance of ~60m, seemingly on a single set of coordinated traffic lights, making for a highly inefficient flow of traffic with presumably long time delays between cycles to allow traffic to clear the enormous intersection. Looking at the plan, it is hard to conceive that this change has even been modelled, such is the ridiculous confluence of roads with visual obstruction from the light rail bridge. Perhaps most concerningly, this intersection will now effectively cut off pedestrian and bike access to Jubilee Park (necessitating four traffic crossings compared to the current single crossing), thereby having the effect of separating residents of Annandale and adjoining suburbs from their beloved park. For an area already recognised for its lack of access to green areas, this will be highly detrimental. Also of great concern is the removal of a right turn option onto The Crescent from Johnston St; as someone who makes this turn daily after dropping off my children at Annandale North Public School, this change will force me and countless others to drive through the backstreets of Annandale or encourage U-turns on Johnston St during school access hours. I can see no benefit and numerous severe shortcomings of the proposed changes to this intersection, and urge you to put some detailed consideration into their negative impact. In short, I believe the intersection is vastly superior in its current state than to the one proposed.

* The proposed overpass will have massively negative impact on the local area, affecting visual amenity (not least by masking our much-loved heritage mural), liveability and pedestrian/bike access. In short, this will be a monstrosity. From conversations with other residents from the area it is clear there is widespread anger in the community over this proposal, when an underpass had been promised. Similarly, this anger extends to the modification of bike and pedestrian access options, all of which are clearly inferior to what had been proposed previously; this incluses the apparent loss of bicycle access to Anzac Bridge from Annandale – a major form of commute into the city.

There are numerous other areas of concern I could raise here, not least the destruction of Buruwan Park and the increased traffic flow through Annandale along roads not suited for high traffic volume.

To conclude, I believe this proposal is a betrayal of the inner west community and will have long-lasting negative impact. I urge you to properly consider the effect of the changes that you propose, and to honour your previous pledges made as part of the conditions for consent for this project.

Yours,
Cameron Kepert

I think there needs to be very careful consideration given to the actual costs of the proposed overpass project.
In economic terms, I do not see any comparison of the costs associated with the tunnel vs. overpass. I think this is essential.
In environmental terms, I think there are some pretty extreme environmental issues with the overpass, and this is not to be discounted.
In terms of the social impact costs, I think this overpass will have some negative social impacts, and these (although possibly only affecting a few) should not be discounted.
If these costs are objectively considered and compared to the previous tunnel proposal, and then published; I would feel much better about the overpass.
However, without this information, I am not supportive of the overpass proposal.

Due to the toxin for lack of filtration exhaust

I am writing to strenuously object to the horrible Rozelle interchange modification.

This plan completely ignores the conditions of consent given for this project and threatens to impose even more on the landscape and liveability of our local area.

I’m concerned that this Los Angeles style overpass will:
Have an unacceptable and unnecessary visual impact, and obstruct a significant local mural;
Make it more difficult for pedestrians to access Jubilee Park from Johnston St Annandale and the Rozelle Goods Yards in Lilyfield;
Destroy over 70 trees including the large, mature fig trees at Buruwan Park; and
Fail to solve Sydney's traffic congestion problem.

We deserve better than this.