Rawson Road Woy Woy level crossing: Call for solution

Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has called for action on the congested and dangerous Rawson Road railway level crossing at Woy Woy after plans to fix it were chucked in the too hard basket.

Train passes through Woy Woy level crossing Picture: Mark Scott

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Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has demanded action on the increasingly congested and dangerous railway level crossing on Rawson Road at Woy Woy.

Peninsula Chamber of Commerce president Matthew Wales said the State Government and Central Coast Council needed to find a solution including the possible installation of traffic lights on the Railway Street and Rawson Road legs of the intersection with traffic lights on the western side of the rail crossing.

Matthew Wales at the Woy Woy nearby rail underpass. Picture by Mark Scott

A previous plan to build a $115 million rail underpass at the site was abandoned in 2016 after a cost blowout and design disputes between government departments.

Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) pulled funding for the project that would have seen a new underpass at the base of Bulls Hill in order to eliminate the level crossing at Rawson Rd.

First announced during the 2011 election campaign by former Gosford state Liberal MP Chris Holstein, the project cost escalated from $30 million, to $52 million and then to $115 million.

“Decisions over the replacement of the existing rail crossing have been dragging on for too long,” Mr Wales said.

The level crossing has been the site of numerous accidents.

“Clearly both the NSW State Government and the local Council have put the project in the too hard basket and the community gets stuck with an ever increasing safety problem that is only going to get worse”.

“It is also patently clear that the rail underpass at the base of Bulls Hill is far too expensive and will never meet the cost/benefit thresholds with a projected cost of $120 million,” he said.

“In the meantime, the existing intersection at the Rawson Road rail crossing is becoming more congested and an increasing safety risk”.

Traffic lights might be a solution.

“The Chamber wants the NSW State Government to consider installing traffic lights on the Railway Street and Rawson Road legs of the intersection with traffic lights on the western side of the rail crossing.

“The existing rail crossing warning lights and boom gates should be retained as part of major synchronised upgrade of the intersection.”

Mr Wales said the changes would improve traffic flow and safety both during normal traffic conditions and when the rail crossing is in operation.

“At the moment, navigating the intersection even when the rail crossing is not operating is becoming increasingly dangerous and is compounded during peak periods,” he said.

“We have to start putting in place a more feasible financial solution to the rail crossing replacement without $120m price tag.”