NICB Rankin Park to Jesmond Bypass

I am an active member of Merewether Advance Senior Football club who plays out of Jesmond Park. We have many members that have used the cycle path that you intend to sever to ride to training and games for years.
As a sporting club we encorouge our team to remain active and understand the importance of a pedestrianised city to assist in this.
Furthermore we are a family club with many children enjoying jesmond park on game days and are concerned for those families that walk from nearby and will need to negotiate three sets of traffic lights.
I ask that you consider an alternative option that allows for free pedestrian movement between jesmond and jesmond park, either a tunnel or overpass, that relflects that you consider the welfare of pedestrians and not just members of the public who choose to drive a car.

The current plans do not take cyclists into account (par for the course with NSW government projects). The omission can be corrected by including a cycle path tunnel through the junction

A prerequisite for any RMS design should be that active transport links for walking and cycling should be maintained or improved. I thought this was RMS policy. The overpass across Newvastle Road is welcome. But this bypass will make active travel worse by adding three sets of crossings at the Jesmond Park end. Please spend the money and build bypass or underpass. I do not accept that funding is an issue, If it needs extra funding to make this happen then defer the bypass build till it can be done properly for all users. (Written as a cyclist, walker, runner, motorcyclist and NRMA gold card member)

Josiah and Rebecca Walker
Owners of Unit 3/230 Newcastle Road, Jesmond NSW 2287

Myself and my spouse and co-owner Rebecca Walker wish to express our concerns and objections to the planned extension of the inner city by-pass from Rankin Park to Jesmond as it poses a direct impact on the property value and rental value of our property, as well as causing noise pollution that impacts on the wellbeing of current and future tenants, making the property a less desirable place to live.

Rebecca and I purchased the property in May 2014, before any details of this plan were made public. We lived there as owner-occupants until January 2016. Being residents ourselves for a time we are already aware of the current noise levels caused by traffic and the potential for this to be a irritant and deterrent for residents.

The plans being proposed include the destruction of a green-space buffer zone and roads being moved closer (within 14m) of the building, which will increase the noise levels considerably from what they currently are. In addition, the plans include no sound barriers or other improvements to offset the noise and privacy issues created by such close heavy traffic. We are aware that other owners in our property have already raised concerns about this in planning stages, which have been ignored by the council.

Firstly we would like to state our objection, that it is preferable for this project to not go ahead in its current form. However in the event that it is completed as per plan, we would expect that the owners of the 18 units at 230 Newcastle Road Jesmond be compensated for the loss of property value and rental income and compensated for the anticipated rise in noise pollution. I will also like to note the environment impacts of removing the greenspace and disturbing the wildlife that live in and around the greenspace on the property, that would be impacted by increased CO2 pollution and noise pollution.

Acceptable compensation would include:
1. Owners be compensated with a monetary amount equal to the expected loss of property value and rental income
2. A proper sound-barrier wall be included in the project plan and costs being covered for the installation of glazed windows in the building to reduce overall noise pollution as a result of heavy traffic passing within meters of living and sleeping space.

Please make a decent solution for the bike path that currently connects jesmond to jesmond park. Currently my 6 year old and the rest of my family can ride to the park by crossing one major intersection, but the proposal to introduce more crossings would make it both dangerous and inconvenient to ride.
I believe we should be making cycling more accessible, not less

Please reconsider the gross disruption to the convenience of cyclists using the Jesmond park cycle way from Howell Street west towards Wallsend. I ride to work every day and this proposal cuts straight across the cycle route requiring users to stop at three sets of traffic lights.
I fear that this proposal as it stands will severely impact on both recreational and commuter cycling in Newcastle at the very time Council is trying to promote cycling and health and urban planners are seeing cycling as a positive means of achieving important social goals.
How can this be justified? Surely a tunnel can be engineered into the development. Change it now before it's too late.

I believe the bypass is a must, and I personally look forward to seeing it completed. In saying that, I think the pathway that currently links through Jesmond Park must stay in tact.

There are many people who use the pathway for exercise, leisure, work access and socially. I think there will be a lot of people who will decide to illegally cross the new link road, rather than go the time and effort of crossing at the designated pedestrian crossings. This will be extremely dangerous, and will no doubt see an increase in accidents involving pedestrians.

Given the amount of people who currently use the pathway to get to work, we may even see an increase in cars on the road, rather than doctors and nurses walking or riding to the John Hunter Hospital.

The amount of children, especially, who use the current pathway to gain access to the park should sound alarm bells immediately.

Leave the pathway in tact and allow easy access along the track, you only have to see how many walkers and riders use this track daily, to see how important it is!!

Removal of the shared pathway in Jesmond is ridiculous. This is a main cycleway link between Wallsend to Lambton with NO OTHER safe cycle routes nearby. We need to encourage more commuting or bike fitness, this will have a very negative impact for people in the area. Forcing cyclists onto the busy road may result in more deaths on our roads.

The Northern Interchange does not provide an adequate thoroughfare for cyclists travelling on Newcastle Road between Wallsend and Newcastle. Cyclists can travel under the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, however there is no way to cross the off-ramp and turning (on-ramp) lanes.
On the map (page 10) it shows the proposed shared path (in blue) to the East, and to the West, of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, but the two paths are not linked.
I ride my pushbike most days between Wallsend and Newcastle so this lack of connectivity will be an obvious major inconvenience to me, however, or more concern is the likely impact this will have to unaccompanied children and young adult cyclists.
In order to navigate from the proposed new cycleway at the west of the Inner City Bypass to the proposed new cycleway to the east of the Inner City Bypass, it will be necessary to cross three sets of traffic lights (off-ramp and (on-ramp) turning lanes. While adult cyclists may understand the safety implications and the necessity endure what may well be a lengthy delay in order to cross three sets of lights, it is unlikely that unaccompanied children and young adults will have this patience, and may well 'make a run for it'. I believe this will be an accident waiting to happen.
An shared path overpass must be constructed to link the two new shared paths to the east and west of the new Inner City Bypass to ensure community safety.
I object to the current plan based on my comments above.

I would request that consideration be given to maintaining an uninterrupted bicycle and pedestrian pathway, using a combination of underpasses and overpasses, created with adequate lighting and visibility for safety and security. I believe this will increase the health of the community by providing a safe commuting and exercising area. I am objecting to the plan in its current form.

Myself and my family are regular users of the cycleway between Lambton and Jesmond.

To remove this cycleway would endanger my families lives as we would have to use a very busy road which is not cyclist friendly. (Newcastle Road).

As taxpayers we deserve better.

The proposed stage of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass will cause increased traffic congestion and delays around Rankin Park and New Lambton Heights on both Grandview Road and McCaffrey Drive due to the half interchange design at the Southern end.

The Southern Interchange should be redesigned to include a full interchange to enable traffic to access to/from the bypass and Lookout Road / McCaffrey Drive. We need to plan for the future and not put a road in which is going to congest other roads feeding onto it due to poor design.

The bypass design will also need to consider noise of local residents in the Rankin Park area and the RMS should install noise barriers to prevent noise from the bypass effecting the local community.

In it's current form with the half Southern Interchange, I object to the project.

I wish to raise my concerns about a lack of definition on the cycleway access at the Jesmond end of the new Inter-City bypass (Rankin Park to Jesmond).

My concern is that the current plans do not define what will happen do the existing cycleway, part of the "Two City Loop" around Lake Macquarie and Newcastle.

The current cycleway is its own expressway for cyclists, and as I have discovered this year, makes commuting to work by bicycle a possibility.

I now commute to work twice a week, and look forward to the ride every time.

The possibility of having to go through 1, 2 or 3 sets of lights and the associated risks and time cost, will likely cause me to abandon my commuting, and re-consider using the Loop for my weekend exercise rides.

I strongly endorse a solution which will allow cyclists the same sort of access they currently enjoy - uninterrupted travel through the area, preferably by means of tunnel/underpass, rather than an energy-sapping overpass or the worst option, traffic lights.

Traffic lights require careful approach, unclipping pedals, and then waiting a few minutes at a time holding on to the brakes before the lights change.
A slip of the hand on the brake, or toppling over in front of traffic clipping in or out of pedals on approach or when crossing at lights puts us at risk of the worst kind with heavy traffic all about us.

I'm a big supporter of this development, but the addition of a quality solution for cyclists is a vital inclusion for the future of our region to continue the good work in getting people out of cars and on to bikes.

I'm one of those people, I hope that it doesn't end with this new development.

I propose that a separate cycle way be constructed with no traffic light be constructed at the time of the jesmond by pass
Currently there is an unbroken shared cycle easy which is used on a regular basis. There are many cycleways in the Newcastle area. This is the main one I used on a weekly basis. I see that the RMS had a plan to break the unobstructed flow of cycling and foot traffic at the jesmond interchange with three separate traffic lights. There is no reason that a cycle track be constructed to follow the existing path via tunnels and/or ramps as is further up the bypass near the university.
It is my believe that the existing cycleway gentrified the current landscape and makes nearby parkland more accessible and the proposed interchange would hinder any further use of the infrastruture for cycling already in place.

With obesity rates still climbing and its associated costs to society it is imperative to offer safe cycle paths.
Taking away existing paths is moving in the wrong direction.
Making cycling unsafe or cumbersome is short sighted.
Please provide an underpass for cyclists.

Good afternoon,
I find it astounding there is no plan for a dedicated cycleway along the bypass.
In an effort to reduce traffic stress you are merely moving the problem of traffic congestion to another area; closer to University Dr, the traffic lights on Bluegum Rd and the section of Lookout Rd to Charlestown and traffic travelling from Kurri to Newcastle will remain relatively unchanged.
If you care to look internationally, major cities (eg. Copenhagen) have proven to reduce traffic congestion is to move to cycling and the project team should have the intelligence to research how a dedicated cycle way on the bypass connecting JHH and UoN would be beneficial. Cutting the Jemsond shared path is also a mistake. If you haven't already looked at the submissions on how to best link the Jesmond shared path, I am sure if you asked your children to google it they could have examples of some fine solutions for you in 10-15minutes.
I haven't said all I want to say as I know you aren't going to listen or actually come up with some decent plans for my region. I have no faith in you and I find your lack of consideration for my region appalling.

The design of the inner city bypass at Jesmond requires cyclists on the east west cycleway will be required to navigate 3 sets of lights to get across the interchange.

Until cycling is given more attention it is inevitable that more and more bypasses will have to be built at huge cost and adding to the slide of population health that will, in turn, cost huge sums.

I see "cycling infrastructure" required to be added to every development application leading to fragments of path (some only meters long) or cycling paths in random places out in the country where no needs it. So, here where you have a chance to actually improve cycling infrastructure as part of a massive development - why not do it right?

I ride from my home to Wallsend regularly and think that the shared path should be retained by using tunnels it bridges. It's bad enough riding in Newcastle already and the government should be improving infrastructure instead of removing it.

As a cyclist and walker, I object to the plan showing the cutting of the East-West Cycleway at the Jesmond end of the new road. The cycleway follows the historical steam tramway, and it is a wonderful bushy ride. I really want to see a bike bridge or tunnel going over/under the new road, so that cyclists don't have to stop for traffic lights. Seriously, the separation of bikes and traffic is paramount.

To the rms

I use this pathway every day, often with my 2 small grandchildren, and would be very annoyed if we need to use 3 traffic light crossings. This would be extremely dangerous!!
Many families use this path to access Jesmond park.
Surely safety is the bigger issue!!

Very concerned
Heather Turner