Northern Beaches Hospital roadworks at least a year behind schedule
ROADWORKS in Frenchs Forest, home of the new Northern Beaches Hospital, are more than a year behind schedule — which means a lot of the necessary traffic infrastructure will be completed long after the medical facility opens.
Manly
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ROADWORKS in Frenchs Forest are more than a year behind schedule, leading Wakehurst MP Brad Hazzard to slam the project as “woeful”.
Mr Hazzard met with Roads Minister Melinda Pavey late last week and “expressed in the most forceful way residents absolute fury at what sometimes seems like snail pace of the major roadworks”.
The latest update from the Roads and Maritime Services has major works to Warringah Rd — known as stage two of the project —- being completed by late 2019, despite the hospital scheduled to open in October this year.
It means continuation of the traffic snarls which have plagued the area, leading Mr Hazzard, also Health Minister, to call out contractors Ferrovial-York, which he said needed to act urgently.
“What is happening at Frenchs Forest is two very different stories,” he said.
“We have a tale of a wonderful building in our new hospital by Healthscope and the builders. But out on the streets it is a woeful tale, compliments of a company that has come to Australia wanting lots of work.
“It seems you can get 21st century buildings constructed but you can’t lay a bit of tar on the road, fair dinkum.”
He warned the contractors that they would be unlikely to gain more work if there were any other delays.
“We welcome the competition (for government tenders). As Health Minister I am looking for that all the time,” he said. “But my warning to that company is if they want more work here in Australia it is time to pick up their game and deliver for the community. Otherwise they won’t be wanted anywhere in this country.”
Stage one of the roadworks started in December 2015 and was due to be completed in 23 months. Also known as the hospital connectivity works, stage one included widening from one lane to two on each direction along the full length of Frenchs Forest Rd.
It also included improving connectivity and pedestrian access on Forest Way between Warringah Rd and Adams St, Warringah Rd from near Allambie Rd to Johns St, and Wakehurst Parkway.
Stage one is more than two thirds finished.
Stage two, including widening Warringah Rd up to 13 lanes, and adding an Eastern Distributor-style underground wedge, started in November 2016 and the Manly Daily reported it was due to be complete by the hospital’s opening date.
An RMS spokeswoman said stage one would provide access to the hospital before its opening.
“The RMS has contended with complex utility relocations and adjustments, discovering a significant number of unknown services and utilities during work, as well as operating with high traffic volumes and changes to night work schedules, which has resulted in delays in the construction schedule,” she said.
“RMS is making every effort to minimise construction impact through planning, best practice management and mitigation measures.”
Skyline Real Estate Director Stuart Bath said at a recent meeting between businesses and the RMS the extensive delays were confirmed.
“To say it has been inconvenient is a pretty big understatement,” he said. “It just seems that we can’t get definitive answers out of anyone.”
