By Megan Gorrey
The NSW government is facing rising pressure to seize the opening of the final section of the multibillion-dollar WestConnex motorway as a rare opportunity to revitalise a notoriously congested arterial road in Sydney’s inner west.
The Inner West Council and Balmain Greens MP Kobi Shetty are pushing the government to develop detailed plans to transform Victoria Road at Rozelle by removing traffic lanes to allow for more public and active transport and wider footpaths, before the motorway tunnels open later this year.
Grimshaw Architects and the Committee for Sydney have released images of what Victoria Road in Rozelle could look like.
Shetty said WestConnex was promised to halve the amount of traffic on the section of road, and the government needed to act urgently on the “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to reshape the area.
“We need to change this traffic sewer into a beautiful piece of road that connects the suburb and allows businesses to flourish, and give some lanes back to active transport, and to tree plantings.
“If we don’t do it now the opportunity might be lost,” Shetty said.
Work is forging ahead to complete the final stage of WestConnex beneath Rozelle, which will eventually be complemented by a Metro train stop and more intensive residential development at the Bays West precinct.
The state government previously forecast a drop in traffic of up to 50 per cent on part of Victoria Road in Rozelle once a 1.1-kilometre tunnel bypass opens as part of the $3.9 billion final stage of the project. The tunnel will link the Iron Cove Bridge to a massive underground spaghetti junction at Rozelle.
The former Coalition government’s public spaces and active transport minister Rob Stokes had signalled his support for transforming Victoria Road.
However, Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said the former government had “simply refused” to put forward any funds or plans for what the reconfiguration of the road might look like, or how it would integrate with the surrounding traffic network.
“Notwithstanding the rhetoric about cycleways and tree-lined boulevards, there are no plans at all that have been presented to the local community, and they didn’t provide any funding in the budget for actual improvements to public amenity along Victoria Road in Rozelle,” Byrne said.
The government forecast the opening of the underground WestConnex motorway would slash traffic on Victoria Road at Rozelle by 50 per cent.
“We are insistent that the new government must review that urgently, and start actually engaging with and consulting our community about what the future of Victoria Road will be.”
Committee for Sydney chief executive Eamon Waterford said new images, prepared for the lobby group by Grimshaw Architects, showed Victoria Road could be “one of Sydney’s great high streets”.
The changes must be made around the same time traffic is diverted to WestConnex later this year, the committee argues; otherwise the traffic will return over time and the opportunity will be lost.
Waterford said they were pushing for four changes, including significantly wider footpaths and new landscaping to create separation from the road; reduced traffic volumes and speeds to create a more comfortable and safe environment; shorter wait times at traffic lights; and kerbside parking.
Victoria Road in Rozelle is a notoriously congested thoroughfare.Credit: Kate Geraghty
“With traffic set to be diverted to WestConnex and the Western Harbour Tunnel, and with Sydney Metro West and Bays Precinct on the way, we have an incredible opportunity to free up surface roads as places for people and local business to thrive, but this window will not stay open forever.”
A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said the agency was continuing to finalise the future strategy for Victoria Road, which would include “further greening of the corridor, improved public transport access, and amenities to support local businesses and the community”.
“Over time and in partnership with local government and industry, Transport will also investigate opportunities to improve and extend bus lanes, deliver parts of the Sydney metropolitan cycling network, upgrade footpaths and increase greening in areas of high demand.”
A lack of progress on a pledge to devote two lanes to public transport on Parramatta Road, from Burwood to Haberfield, following the opening of an earlier stage of WestConnex previously sparked concerns that any plan to remove traffic lanes to revitalise Victoria Road would fail to materialise.
Waterford said: “I still hold faith that we could do something with Parramatta Road, but obviously, it’s harder now that we have, to some extent, missed that moment. Victoria Road has still to come.”
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