October 13 - 19, 2019: Issue 424

 

Mona Vale Road East Upgrade: October 2019 Update In Pictures + Friends Of Mona Vale Road Truck Arrestor Bed III

The Mona Vale Road upgrade will see Mona Vale Road widened from two to four lanes between Terrey Hills and Mona Vale to improve safety and traffic efficiency.

The western section of the upgrade involves widening 3.4 kilometres of road between McCarrs Creek Road, Terrey Hills and Powder Works Road, Ingleside, along with associated upgrades of intersections and adjacent infrastructure such as shared use paths and bus stops.

The Office of Environment and Heritage approved the project in November 2017 following community consultation. Roads and Maritime Services is completing a detailed design for the section. The NSW Government indicated it will procure the section through a construct only contract.

The $140 million eastern section of the project, which involves widening and upgrading 3.2 kilometres of Mona Vale Road between Foley Street, Mona Vale and Manor Road, Ingleside, was awarded to Georgiou in November 2018. Construction commenced in February 2019 with completion targeted in 2021.

To date we have run pictorials to record the works taking place and so a comparison can be seen between the images of what was and now is.

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One of the most startling comparisons is where and how much rock is disappearing along the length of the construction and the width of the works on either side of the current road. 

The length of time it has taken for fauna fencing to be installed has also caused some concern among residents due to the amount of displaced and frightened wallabies that have been struck and killed by cars while running from the noise but that is now installed along the section towards the east from just past Chiltern Road. 



A statement from RMS dated September 20th advises:

''Fauna fencing is now being installed along the Mona Vale Road East upgrade corridor.

Fencing is also being installed opposite the Mona Vale Road West upgrade as part of early work, on the southern side of the road between Kimbriki Road and Tumburra Street at Ingleside.

The fauna fencing is being progressively installed as road work continues and will aim to minimise the likelihood of fauna crossing Mona Vale Road.

The fencing will be 1.8 metres high and dug into the ground to ensure all fauna cannot make their way under the fence.''

Fauna fencing had not been installed along the Mona Vale West upgrade as this Issue is published. There has been no advice as yet on whether the fauna nesting boxes promised have been put in place either to offer some home from those who lost them when trees were cleared along the construction site. 





A few weeks ago an update on Phil Walker and the Friends of Mona Vale Road's investigation into the Truck Arrester Bed (See: Mona Vale Road Truck Arrestor Bed Miscalculation? - report by Phil Walker and John Illingsworth/Pittwater Pathways) confirmed the information they found through their GIPA. This has been forwarded to MP for Pittwater, The Hon. Rob Stokes, whose office has supplied correspondence from Mr. Walker to the RMS for review. 

Some of the claims are quite specific and a response time has not been ascertained as we go to press. That follow-up from Mr. Walker and John Illingsowrth et. al is titled 'MONA VALE ROAD COWBOYS 3 – THE CLAYTONS TRUCK ARRESTER BED' and runs below - an update/response will be run once received:

The September-October Updates from RMS of works and works outside of normal hours advises:


Traffic Changes On Mona Vale Road 

The NSW Government is investing $140 million to upgrade Mona Vale Road between Manor Road, Ingleside, and Foley Street, Mona Vale, from two to four lanes to improve safety and traffic efficiency. Roads and Maritime Services started work on the eastern end of the project from Mona Vale Cemetery to Foley Street on 2 September 2019.

To continue our work, from Monday 23 September 2019 to Tuesday 31 December 2020, weather permitting, we will make a number of changes between Mona Vale Cemetery and Foley Street. The changes include:
  • reducing Mona Vale Road from two lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction between Emma Street and Foley Street
  • removing the right turn for westbound traffic on Mona Vale Road to Emma Street
  • temporarily moving the bus stop near Pittwater RSL to a new location east of Foley street
  • changing pedestrian paths and crossings in specific areas
  • Reduced speed limit
A 60 km/hr speed limit has been in place between Manor Road, Ingleside and Foley Street, Mona Vale.

This reduced speed limit will be in place for the duration of the project. During construction, the speed limit will be reduced in areas to 40km/h to ensure the safety of motorists and workers. Traffic control and electronic message signs will be in place to notify and direct motorists.

Our standard working hours are between 7am and 6pm from Monday to Friday and between 8am and 1pm on Saturday. There will be times where out of hours works may be required due to temporary lane closure restrictions. Advance notifications will be provided to the affected community areas.

Out of Hours Work
Night work is planned for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights between Monday 23 September and Friday 4 October from 8pm to 5am.
During the night work we will:
  • demolish road islands around the Ponderosa and Mona Vale Roundabout
  • grinding to remove line markings and re-line marking of temporary lanes
  • removing of asphalt in some areas
  • install concrete barriers and signage southbound of Ponderosa Parade.
For safety reasons, we will close one lane of Mona Vale Road during the night work. During the lane closure, we will reduce the speed limit to 40km/h to ensure the safety of motorists and workers. A stop/slow arrangement will be in place with traffic controllers and signage directing traffic.

If we are unable to complete night work earlier in the week, we will reschedule this work for an available night later in the week.
To minimise the impact of night work on residents, we will not work for more than two consecutive nights in the same area and only three nights in the same week.

We will minimise noise where possible. We will be using excavators with buckets and hammers, bobcats, grinders, rollers, saw cutters, cranes, lighting, hand tools and trucks for the work.

How will the work affect you?
Please use caution when travelling through the work zone and follow the directions of traffic controllers.

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra time and travel outside the peaks where possible.

Any out of hours lane closure will allow one direction of traffic to flow through at a time under a stop/slow arrange.

For more information
For the latest traffic updates, you can call 132 701, visit livetraffic.com or download the Live Traffic NSW app.
We are committed to minimising the impact of construction on the community and will continue to keep you informed as the project progresses.

If you have any enquiries, feedback or concerns, or would like to sign up for our emailing list, please:
Call: 1800 413 640 (24 hour number)
Email: monavaleroad@georgiou.com.au
Thank you for your patience during this important work.

Map of traffic changes:

MVR Upgrade - East: October Record In Pictures

Below runs photographs taken on Sunday October 6th, 2019 - this time running in sequence from just opposite the entrance to Kimbriki tip and down to Pittwater RSL to illustrate recent changes and works being done.