NSW Government review could see dumping of $340m upgrade of Mona Vale Rd West
The NSW Government has revealed it could dump a $340m upgrade of a notorious Sydney black spot. See what it means here.
Manly
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The promised $340 million upgrade of a notorious northern beaches traffic black spot road link could be dumped by the NSW Government.
Transport for NSW confirmed to The Manly Daily that proposed work to improve an accident-ridden 3.4km stretch of Mona Vale Rd, between Terrey Hills and Ingleside, could be included in its infrastructure hit list.
The project, known as the Mona Vale Road West Upgrade — transforming it from from two to four lanes — is being scrutinised as part of an examination of government spending on major infrastructure works.
It was meant to link with the 3.2km, $140m Mona Vale Rd (East) upgrade, from Ingleside to Mona Vale, where upgrades are already well underway.
The upgrade of the whole route was prompted by a horror crash involving a runaway petrol tanker that exploded in flames in 2013, killing two men.
But now, as part of the government’s “Strategic Infrastructure Review” the improvement of the route, which is regularly disrupted by road collisions and heavy peak hour traffic, could be “re-prioritised”.
The previous Coalition Government had already set aside the $340 million in last year’s NSW Budget.
The then Metropolitan Roads Minister Natalie Ward confirmed the work, from McCarrs Creek Rd at Terrey Hills to Powderworks Rd, would be going ahead.
This week the Liberal MP for Pittwater, Rory Amon, said he tried to get an assurance from new Roads Minister John Graham that the upgrade would still go ahead.
Mr Amon said he was prompted by hearing about a head-on collision on Mona Vale Rd at Ingleside, near the intersection with Tumburra St, on Thursday afternoon that left a couple, both aged, 70, in Royal North Shore Hospital.
The collision also closed the road for more than five hours.
Mr Amon said he was concerned the government would imminently announce the project’s cancellation and has written to Mr Graham and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey seeking advice on its status.
“(Thursday’s) collision is an unfortunate reminder that the widening and safety upgrades of Mona Vale Rd West are paramount and must proceed.
“The allocated $340 million must remain in the Labor Government’s Budget being delivered on September 19. 2023.
“With each day that goes by, lives are put at risk. The widening and safety upgrades will address these risks and also significantly reduce congestions across the road network.”
A residents’ group, the Terrey Hills Progress Association, backed Mr Amon’s push for the upgrade to go ahead.
Association president Paul Davenport said if the western end of Mona Vale Rd was not improved to four lanes, locals would be caught up in even worse bottlenecks as traffic left the improved eastern section of the route, back onto one lane each way.
Mr Davenport said.
“These bottlenecks are just going to increase and increase,” Mr Davenport said.
“The eastern part of the upgrade is heading towards completion. so to just leave this short section alone just doesn’t make any sense to use at all.
“We would push to see the new government complete the upgrade.”
Transport for NSW confirmed the project was included in the government’s current review of the state’s infrastructure program.
“The review will identify projects and programs that can proceed to investment and delivery and those that can be delayed, re-sequenced, re-scoped or re-prioritised,” a spokesman said.
“The proposed upgrade of Mona Vale Road (West) is being considered as part of this review.”
Findings and recommendations from the review be taken into account in the upcoming NSW Budget.
Transport for NSW is continuing to prepare the design for Mona Vale Road West.
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