MOD 2 - The Crescent overpass and active transport links

I oppose the design modifications of the approved design as I don't believe its the best design outcome that can be achieved and will unnecessarily hinder connections to the foreshore open spaces and beyond for people who use these spaces on a daily basis. Whether that be walkers, runners, dogwalkers, pedestrian/cycle commuters, elderly and children, families who live in the immediately neighboring areas and adjoining suburbs and who regularly access the area. The current design proposals appears to go against current NSW Government Architects design policies and guidelines (refer Better Placed - an integrated design policy for the built environment in NSW) for the enhancement of all aspects for our urban environments to create better places.

Change the overpass to a short tunnel
We oppose the proposal to build an overpass at The Crescent in Annandale. The plan for an overpass should be replaced by ashort (less than 120m) tunnel under the City West Link with slot trench approaches. An underpass provides the best visual and urban outcome sand should allow the retention of the green bridge in a location to best connect the parklands together. This underpass needs to be designed to also facilitate the single pedestrian crossing at Johnston Street.
The overpass solution is not our preferred outcome but if it is adopted, the bulk and scale must be reduced. One way to do this would be to reduce the allowed speed limit to reduce the curve of the proposal. Lowering the height of the overpass should also be considered.
Maximise pedestrian connectivity including:
Simplification of the Johnston Street crossing of the Crescent to a single traffic light crossing in the current location on the Northern side of Johnston Street as currently exists.
Ensuring provision of easy at grade access from Railway parade to the Glebe Foreshore with a direct connection to the simplified Johnston Street/The Crescent intersection.
Provide for the direct grade separated connection between The Glebe Foreshore and the new Rozelle parklands via the green bridge.

Retain and protect trees adjacent the light rail station as per the EIS consideration
The road design needs be altered to provide protection of mature vegetation including Sydney blue gums, and Moretonbay figs. These will provide some immediate pedestrian and visual amenity given that most of Buruwan Park will be removed.

I object to the proposal. Previous communication from the NSW states that the development would retain far more green space than the amended proposal here. Additionally the mural will now be obstructed by a ramp when the government committed to leaving it visible. The amended plan further departs from what was promised bu reducing the quality of the walking track around the bay as theres now multiple new sets of traffic lights. Also not being able to turn right will push increased levels of traffic through the backstreet and into residential streets, reducing our amenity and safety.
The government is not holding itself accountable by dismissing key attributes of the previous proposal. I restate i oppose the submission.

In addition to my previous submission (SUB1661 ) I am adding this submission in part as a response to the letter from Tarnjit Chahal, Project Director Rozelle Interchange, published in the Inner West Courier on 24 September.

I too am a motorist. I use the junction of The Crescent and the City West Link almost daily. I, like many of my fellow motorists, DO NOT prioritise my commute over the safety and mobility of pedestrians. I cannot support the overpass proposed in MOD 2 as it will have a very detrimental impact on the mobility of the community and the urban landscape of our foreshore, while reducing one set of traffic lights from my already busy commute. There will be NO “welcome relief” provided by this proposed overpass.

The MOD2 design of the 8 meter high overpass to improve traffic flow, has led to the inclusion of three separate, poorly designed and located pedestrian crossings: The “horseshoe” caged, concrete loop, sending people in the wrong direction for 100mtrs only to loop them back to get to the foreshore; a pedestrian bridge to Brennan Street, which has not been noted on the maps or communication issued by RMS; and a shorter green link that moves people between an as yet unbuilt park and a light rail station then sending them into the traffic to cross 4 junctions to get to the water side parkland.

The modification has significant negative impacts on the community, while offering very little improvement to traffic flow. The overpass will obstruct access to the foreshore, both visually and physically, disconnect the green and pedestrian links between parklands and is a short-sighted and lazy design. There is no genuine benefit to the community OR MOTORISTS by adding this vehicle overpass. It appears as a cost cutting measure only and I believe the community and motorists of Sydney deserve more. Keeping the foreshore open and improving accessibility while improving the movement of traffic is possible without building an ugly overpass.

I am astounded that the project has moved substantially since its first concept and community consultations, which I was involved in, from underground tunnels, to above ground LA Style roadways.
The loss to the local habitat in Buruwan park has been devastating. Ring tailed possums have been left homeless, birds without nesting areas, and I can only imagine the devastation to the frogs, who, I don't see, like the others, but hear when i often walk through on my way to the foreshore.
Speaking of foreshore, the complexity of the accessibility under the revised plans does not facilitate or encourage people to be mobile, and enjoy surrounds. Obesity is one of the complex major health issues facing Australians (it's the next 'epidemic') and this project ostracises people from the foreshore, and ease of accessibility to bike tracks, and walking tracks.
Not to mention funnelling traffic along local streets, and past parks and SCHOOLS (not just one school on Johnson Street) where our children should be free to feel safe and not have to breath in car fumes, or be worried about cars barrelling into their school (which has occurred in other suburbs in recent years). Not to mention teachers having to battle to be heard above the sounds of traffic both in and out of the classroom.
The landscaping of the old railway yards was a welcome initiative making the space green. What a waste of money doing that, and now putting lots of machinery there. How is this responsible use of my hard earned taxpayers money?
Refocussing from what SHOULD NOT be done, to what you SHOULD do. I would like to see the following
HONEST, TRANSPARENT community consultation. Not just a letter in my letterbox on a Thursday telling me about the work happening the following week.
STOP prioritising motor vehicles over pedestrians and cyclists. We live in the inner city so that we can access the city by means OTHER than cars - light rail, walking tracks, and cycling. you need to ensure all these alternate modes of transport are accessible to ALL. Maintain the shared path linking Buruwan PArk and Johnston Street, and WIDEN IT.
In order to reduce noise - BUFFER with TREES, not concrete walls. Get the green back. Get the possums, birds, frogs, lizards etc back.
If you must do an overpass, limit the capacity to 2 traffic lanes.

Terrible idea for locals

25.09.2019

Attention: Director, Transport Assessments Planning Services Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

GPO Box 39
Sydney, NSW 2001

Submission
WestConnex M4-M5 Link MOD2
Application number SSI 7485.

I work in the field architecture and urban planning and have extensive experience in large scale projects and transit oriented development. My current position is associate director at a global architecture and engineering firm which, is a recognised market leader in transport engineering and urban planning.

I do understand the complexities and challenges of community sensitive, multi disciplinary design, as well as the tussle between vision and design development as all of the layers of minutia, push and pull lines on a page. I am also aware of the cynicism and laziness which infects and erodes principle.

Change the overpass to a tunnel

I oppose the proposal to build an overpass at The Crescent in Annandale. The plan for an overpass should be replaced by a tunnel.

The overpass is a truly horrendous outcome and demonstrates the failure to learn from bay side precedents such Darling Harbor and Circular Quay which, while at a greater scale, are nonetheless both well recognized as highly compromised by elevated transport infrastructure.

- The proposed overpass is visually offensive. It’s bulk and scale is not in keeping with the transition from parkland and fine grained neighborhoods, (The scale of the roads below don’t magically justify increased infrastructural context, quite the opposite)

- It blocks and compromises views, lessening the enjoyment, quality and value of the area

- It breaks what was a fairly sensible, direct (and approved) East West pedestrian link adjacent the Rozelle Light Rail stop. The approved East West link was a far superior urban outcome than the spaghetti proposed in the modification.

- It distorts, dislocates and blockades the Green link and puts it on the wrong side of the Crescent. The approved green link has the potential to be an iconic success, a triumph of good design, a celebration of the public domain and a fantastic publicity piece worthy of an international city.

- The double stacking of the proposed circuitous “Shared user path” over the proposed vehicle overpass would be laughable if it wasn’t so embarrassingly tragic and represents a complete reversal of correct priorities and loss of project control.

- That there remains an on grade crossing at the Crescent - Western Distributor intersection is not a valid “alternative.” This has always been an arduous multi lane crossing, the approved design provided a good solution and should be maintained.

- Pedestrian logic, public amenity and environmental neighborhood quality must take precedence and the road design just needs to respond to these guiding principles.

While much of the argument is qualitative, this is about more than the experiential, it is about intelligent forward planning for growth aligned with basic, but visionary economics.

The bays precinct will inevitably be developed. The fish markets is one current example. However the bays precinct has become increasingly isolated over the years as main roads have encircled it.

WestConnex provides an opportunity to restore and create best practice, pedestrian friendly, “simple” connections from the residential neighbourhoods to the foreshore, increasing property values and voter satisfaction now, and setting up for broader economic benefit as the bays precinct develops in the future.

An underpass road instead of an overpass, provides the best visual and urban outcomes and should allow the retention of the green bridge in a location to best connect the parklands and residential neighborhoods together.

Simplify Johnson St / Crescent Pedestrian Crossings

The proposed modification is hideously convoluted and a huge step backwards. It beggars belief that this would even be proposed.

- Maintain the existing east west on grade crossing on the North West corner of Johnston St and the Crescent or design a better solution.

I hear the protests and hand wringing from the PMs, the civil team and the cost planners. I hear the “can’t be done”, I hear it every day in my profession. Yet I also see leaders, who have courage, will and self respect, who do not accept laziness or mediocrity, who deliver successful projects of which to be proud.

A final word about the value of art. The mural is a daggy thing but it is important because it says all of the above. We have lived for generations by the foreshore, seen it change and develop, for better and worse, but we have retained this recognition of our valued connection to the water.


This is our legacy, please do better.

Regards

Sam Faigen

See attached submission