August 4 - 31, 2024: Issue 633

 

Wakehurst Parkway Improvements Project approved: Transport for NSW - $100+ million project to commence

Transport for NSW announced on Tuesday August 6, it is progressing plans for road improvements, including intersection upgrades along Wakehurst Parkway between Frenchs Forest  Road, Frenchs Forest, and Pittwater Road, North Narrabeen.

The government states the project will improve safety and reduce congestion and delays for this key link in Sydney’s northern beaches.

Transport for NSW states it recognises the area surrounding Wakehurst Parkway has a diversity of wildlife and vegetation which are important to the local ecosystem and community.

To minimise impacts on local wildlife TfNSW states it will be:

  • extending our fauna fencing to create a single corridor of protection between Frenchs Forest Road and Dreadnought Road. Adding to the existing fencing in the area, this will create a total of 1.4km of fencing on the western side and 1.6km on the eastern side of Wakehurst Parkway
  • investigating self-closing gates and other fauna fence features
  • upgrading four of our pipe culverts to help provide a safe crossing for animals such as the Swamp Wallaby, possum species and reptiles
  • avoiding areas of high-quality bushland and retaining as many trees as possible.

Key features

North (Elanora Road and Mirrool Street)

• Shoulder widening along Wakehurst Parkway northbound and southbound to improve traffic flow and create a new left turn bay into Mirrool Street

• Relocating the existing give way line and kerb line at Elanora Road intersection to improve visibility

• Converting the service road near Palm Terrace to left-out only to improve safety and directing all other movements to Mirrool Street.

South (Dreadnought Road and Oxford Falls Road)

• Upgrades to the Dreadnought Road intersection including new bus stops, additional signalised pedestrian crossings, new southbound left turn slip lane and extension of the right turn bay from Wakehurst Parkway onto Dreadnought Road

• Additional lanes in both directions between Dreadnought Road and Oxford Falls Road to improve traffic flow

• Upgrades to the Oxford Falls Road intersection including a new southbound right turn bay and a dedicated northbound left turn lane

• Flood improvement work to help address flooding in this section of Wakehurst Parkway, in partnership with Northern Beaches Council

South (Dreadnought Road and Trefoil Creek)

• Widening of the southbound lane between Oxford Falls Road to Frenchs Forest Road to create dual lanes, improving traffic flow


Council works

The NSW Government is funding 100 per cent of the council-managed flood improvement project with $31.1 million to deliver the work, which includes:

  • $5 million from the NSW Government’s Stronger Communities Fund
  • $26.1 million – from Transport for NSW in two stages, its initial $13.1 million committed in 2021 and the further 2023 election commitment of $13.0 million.

Council's Update: July 2024

Council's Wakehurst Parkway flood mitigation webpage for further updates and FAQ's

The Wakehurst Parkway Flood Improvement project, combined with Transport for NSW (Transport) Safety and Capacity Upgrades, represents an investment of more than $100 million into the critical road network.

Council and Transport are working together to undertake these improvements in an efficient manner, with the goal of minimising inconvenience, lowering costs, and ensuring community and road user safety.

Council is currently looking at two options for Oxford Falls Road West which include a Box Culvert or a Bridge option. We are working with various authorities to confirm approvals required for each option prior to selection.

Oxford Falls Road (West)

Council states it has progressed two concepts, a box culvert and a bridge, and are now undertaking an environmental review to assist in a tender process.


Oxford Falls West - Box Culvert Option


Oxford Falls West - Bridge Option


Oxford Falls West - Location, Driver view

The environmental review is expected to be completed during August when preliminary designs will be refined and quotes will be sought for the detailed design and delivery. A decision on which option (see images above) to construct will consider flood mitigation effectiveness, environmental impacts and cost.

Council stated in late 2023 its work at Oxford Falls and on the Oxford Road Falls West culverts, is costed at $17.5 million.

Oxford Falls - near OFG School

Council states it has undertaken drainage design and flood modelling to reduce flooding which Transport can use in their design. 

This upgrade is now integrated into Transport's broader improvement works, which are expected to commence in the second quarter of 2025 and a submissions report outlining these works will be available on Transport’s current projects page.

‘The Bends’

Council states it has been investigating how changing the creek will impact flood performance, the environment, the proposed infrastructure and works maintenance.

At The Bends, the creek is squeezed between a large hill to the north, the existing roadway, and a protected wetland to the south. Changes to the creek may result in other unintended changes and we are working closely with Transport to ensure the flood mitigation options proposed are viable in the long-term.

All options to reduce flooding through The Bends location result in environmental impacts, with the removal of sediment in particular. Sediment extraction will involve the removal of approximately 2.41ha of native vegetation.

Option B4 results in a further 0.22ha of clearance in the road corridor at the Bends which is required to improve the culverts at this location. Additionally, Option S1 at the Academy may result in up to 0.74ha of native vegetation removal. These areas all contain plant community types which are known as threatened ecological communities, although individual threatened flora species have not been identified.

Should Council elect to proceed with an option in these locations, significant mitigation and environmental offsets would be required under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. This would involve the likely preparation of Species Impact Statements or Biodiversity Development Assessment Reports and subsequent Environmental Impact Statements in accordance NSW Government legislation.

Environmental restoration is a key focus of the project and Council is committed to achieving the best outcome for both flood mitigation and environmental restoration.

Although some options involve the removal of significant areas of native vegetation, Council will ensure creek and bushland restoration are prioritised in the design, construction and maintenance process. The project will endeavour to restore the environment in the longer term, while maintaining a reduced level of flooding.

Sydney Academy Sport

Council states it has been working with Transport to ensure the concept design for flood improvements integrates into existing infrastructure.

''We have been working closely with Transport to determine their technical requirements for implementing the proposed flood improvements in this area. The concept design will be progressed to a point where Transport’s requirements can be satisfied, following which we can proceed to detailed design and construction.''

Background: Transport for NSW

In November 2023, Transport for NSW publicly displayed the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) and a Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) for the Wakehurst Parkway Improvements project. 

TfNSW would like to thank everyone who took the time to make a submission. Your feedback has been considered and addressed in Section 3 of the Submissions Report which is now available online. 

If you can’t find responses to your issues and would like to know your individual submission number, please give us a call on 1800 684 490 or email us at projects@transport.nsw.gov.au.  

The project is now approved for construction. You will start to see our team on site later this year as we carry out further investigations and early work activities. Subject to contract award, site establishment will start mid 2025 with major construction activities from late 2025.

For more information please see our August Community Update or visit our website at Wakehurst Parkway improvements. 

Wakehurst Parkway Improvements project team  August update (PDF: 2.61MB)

Wakehurst Parkway Improvements webpage

PON 2024 Reports:

PON 2023 reports:

Previously: