50 years ago induced demand was well known, and yet we continue to ignore it. Global experience of major toll road construction has demonstrated conclusively that projects like this increase air pollution, encourage more car use and eventually fill the increased road capacity they create. Increased pollution and more car use also adds to a significant cost to health.

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. The overpass will also obstruct Rodney Monk’s heritage mural which decorates the northern side of the light rail viaduct along The Crescent. 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 artifact that should be protected.

This modification prioritizes the needs of motorists, trashing the experience of local pedestrian traffic and making it harder for residents to access the public waterfront. Pedestrians walking from the Western side of Johnston Street will have to use four pedestrian crossings in order to reach Bicentennial Park.

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 livability 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.

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.

Given that Climate Change should be our number one priority, this proposal fails in every respect. More cars, more pollution, removal of mature trees plus the adverse effects on health.

Dear Director Transport Assessments Planing Services
I am writing to request that RMS work with the community to explore alternate design options to the proposed new car overpass design adn the changed pedestrian and cyclist links. I am seeking the restatement 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 provdes a safe and accessible connection between these areas that the new design does not adequately replace.

My key concerns with the M4-M5 Modification are:
1. The significantly reduced safety and increased risk for pedestrians and cyclist moving between Annandale and Rozelle to the foreshore.
2. Removal of direct active links to the foreshore, cutting off these communities 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.
3. Traffic changes that limit movements around Annandale and Rozelle and create further congestion in the local streets of Annandale, Rozelle and Lilyfield with no planning to deal with these.
4. The Modification encourage use of cars to access the foreshore areas instead of providing convenient pedestrian and cycling access. It also makes it more difficult and inconvenient for local residences to access public transport stops such as light rail and buses.

My submission is asking RMS to restate the GreenLink proposal, relocate and design pedestrian and cycling connections that are continuous, safe and direct and do not force them onto busy streets and integrate active and direct connections to all active transport, including the future Metro West and Foreshore Ferry Wharf.

Yours sincerely
Lyndon Tam
34 Quirk Street, Rozelle NSW 2039
[email protected]

The proposed modifications will have the following effect on Forest Lodge:

1. They remove the ability to turn right from Johnston St Annandale onto The Crescent. This means that any cars in Annandale wanting to go to The Tramsheds will need to go down Booth St and through Forest Lodge (Wigram Rd and/or Minogue Crescent for heavy vehicles)

2. There is an increase in the number of lanes coming from the Rozelle Interchange onto The Crescent (towards Forest Lodge). The lanes all merge around the intersection of Johnston Street and The Crescent so there will be added congestion on The Crescent/Ross St.

3. The pedestrian pathway and cycleway were supposed to connect to the foreshore pathways but this will be removed from the plans. The pathway and cycleways are now combined, more convoluted and beside a motorway overpass (this was supposed to be underground but is now aboveground).

The current modifications will
1. remove pivotal access from a major road to many amenities and therefore create more through traffic in an already busy area.
2. The reduced lanes coming off the interchange will only create even more delays and congestion
3. The change to the pedestrian pathways and cycleways move them to a very busy motorway as apposed to the initial submission of underground

Director, Transport Assessments Planning Services
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
GPO Box 39 Sydney, NSW 2001
Application: SSI 7485
Dear Director Transport Assessments Planning Services,
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 – I want you to reinstate your own vision as laid out in Transport for NSW Future Strategy 2056. Work with the community 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 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.
Alongside these issues my other concerns include:
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 us 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.
Furthermore I suggest:
A cycleway and crossing, similar to that created over the City West Link at Victoria Rd

Yours Sincerely,
Name: Toby Petch
Address: 15 Pritchard St Annandale
Email: [email protected]

Please see attached. This modification is wrong-headed.

I object to this modification to the M4-M5 link due to the following point:
- This plan completely ignores the conditions of consent given for this project
- The whole interchange was sold to the community as an underground networks of tunnels, not an overground "eyesore"
- The plan will result in the loss of yet more much needed green space
- The plan will do nothing to solve the greater traffic congestion issues facing the inner west and Sydney in general
- Have an unacceptable and unnecessary visual impact
I would urge the department of planning to reconsider this proposal as it provides very little benefit to the community

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.

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.
The overpass will also obstruct Rodney Monk’s heritage mural which decorates the northern
side of the light rail viaduct along The Crescent. 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.

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.
As a family er regularly cycle down white creeks to get to Jubilee Park and the Fish Markets. This modification is unacceptable.

This pedestrian arrangement should be modified to allow pedestrians to cross direct from
Johnston Street to the Park via The Crescent.

Destruction of mature fig trees at Buruwan Park
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.