NICB Rankin Park to Jesmond Bypass

I object to the closure of the Jesmond shared path. See attached PDF.

See Attachment

Please see attached

I object to the severance of the Jesmond Park shared path and replacing it with three traffic crossings. The path should be retained as a continuous off road shared path.

I write to make a submission on the Environmental Impact Statement for Stage 5 of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass (NICB) which is now on exhibition.

Following extensive consultation with the Wallsend Electorate over the past 12 months, the following concerns and issues have been raised with me and need attention:

1. McCaffrey Drive Interchange
The McCaffrey Drive Interchange needs to have both north and south bound access ramps. Despite the figures used by the RMS, it is evident from the feedback and survey responses that I have received from local residents that considerably more than 90 people would use the Interchange if it was built. Failure to build the access ramps would result in an increase in traffic on Elbrook Drive, Grandview Road and Marshall Street as traffic would be forced onto these roads to gain access to the Bypass. These roads are local roads and not designed or built to take the increase in traffic that would be forced onto them.

2. John Hunter Hospital Interchange
Building for the future is something that Governments should strive for, in the 1930's the State Government built the Sydney Harbour Bridge with 8 lanes for traffic. The Interchange at the John Hunter Hospital needs to have both north and south bound access ramps to cater for future traffic. It is short sighted to only build half an Interchange and leave room for it to be built in the future. We have seen previous Governments make mistakes by not planning for future use, such as the Tourle Street Bridge duplication. We have also seen both the Hunter New England Local Health District and the Ambulance Union supporting a complete Interchange.


3. Impact of traffic lights at the Jesmond Interchange
Newcastle Road at Jesmond is a constant choke point for traffic on a daily basis. Traffic currently queues west from the roundabout back towards Wallsend and east back towards Croudace Street from the roundabout during peak times. The installation of traffic lights that will replace the roundabout will only add to the congestion for east/west traffic. My understanding was that there was to be a flyover for east/west traffic though the Interchange as well at the north/south flyover, but this is not reflected on the plans.

4. Treatments for increased traffic noise
Residents in Brenmar Close, Victory Parade and Myall Street, Wallsend, will see the biggest impact of noise as the Bypass will pass close to their properties. These residents will require sound barriers and appropriate treatments to reduce the impact on their properties. Also the properties on Newcastle Road and Roberts Street, Jesmond, will see traffic lanes encroach on their properties, particularly the property at 230 Newcastle Road.

5. Bike Path at the Jesmond Interchange
Currently cyclists can travel along an uninterrupted section of bike path through Jesmond Park through to the Blue Gum Road traffic lights. The current plan shows that cyclists would be required to cross three sets of traffic lights at the busy Jesmond Interchange. A better solution must be reached for the shared pathway as crossing three sets of lights is completely unacceptable.

Your consideration of these matters would be greatly appreciated

Yours sincerely
Sonia Hornery MP
State Member for Wallsend

Please find enclosed attached submission

Refer Enclosed Submission

I think the project as proposed will decrease pedestrian and cyclist safety in the vicinity of the existing Jesmond roundabout, and will have too great an impact on the bushland environment. I think modifications are necessary. Please see my pdf submission for full details.

Please see attached submission from Bicycle NSW.

Newcastle Cycleways has serious concerns about the RP2J project as published in the EIS November 2016. It is totally unacceptable to cut the existing Jesmond Park path as proposed. Please see attached 10 page submission

file attached

I have uploaded my submission as a pdf

I object to the discontinuity of the Jesmond shared path between Jesmond park and Jesmond. The two options considered in the EIS are ridiculous. I believe they were only considered to show some token effort and were intended to facilitate the RMS to ignore the community input from the previous consultation. I am very unimpressed at being ignored when I know there were many submissions on the same point.

I am submitting more input in the hope that the Dept of Planning will encourage the RMS to actually engage with the community and consider their input and actually consider some real options to maintain the continuity of the communities path at Jesmond.

Please consider an option for the path where there is a bridge over the on/off ramps and a path that runs under the main freeway overpass of Newcastle Rd.

Please consider an option for the path where there is a bridge over the on/off ramps and a path that runs under the freeway overpass of the north bound exit ramp.

Please consider an option for the path where there is a bridge over the on/off ramps and a tunnel through the fill that builds up the freeway overpass.

Our submission is attached

Please see our uploaded submission.

I wish to provide the following feedback on the proposed Rankin Park to Jesmond - Newcastle Inner City Bypass project.
I note that the design proposed within the Refined Strategic Design Report 2016 has incorporated many revisions and I am pleased that many of these address issues raised in my previous submission.
I have examined the EIS report and I am disappointed that none of my submission on the Refined Strategic Design Report 2016 appear to be accounted for.
I trust you will find my submission helpful and I welcome the opportunity to discuss the project with yourself or other parties.
Regards,

Copy of the submission is attached

Submission Attached

Submission attached.

Two submissions attached.