Roads Minister John Graham has assured Northern Beaches residents that works on Mona Vale Road will resume – just not for another two years or so.
The Mona Vale Road West upgrade is, was, or will be the upgrading of 3.4 kilometres of Mona Vale Road from two lanes to four lanes between McCarrs Creek Road in Terrey Hills and Powder Works Road in Ingleside (as well as other changes noted at addendum).
The Mona Vale Road West was a project already well underway until it was suddenly tools down in last year’s budget. It was then not included in the recently announced NSW budget for 2024/25, with the exception of $5.5 million towards design work.
It’s created a lot of commuter frustration, particularly given community expectations that the work would be much further progressed by now, according to Pittwater MP Rory Amon.
“It’s essential the Mona Vale Road West upgrade is completed,” Mr Amon said.
“While ever this stretch of road remains a single lane each way, there are safety issues and motorists to and from the Pittwater electorate face a traffic bottleneck.”
“While ever this stretch of road remains a single lane each way, there are safety issues and motorists to and from the Pittwater electorate face a traffic bottleneck.
“Delivery drivers, tradies, tourists and visitors are impacted by the lack of foresight to complete the Mona Vale Road dual carriageway.”
But Minister Graham said his government was responding to advice from the Independent Strategic Infrastructure Review that more detailed design work was needed.
“Delivery of the Mona Vale Road West upgrade project was deferred for two years as part of the 2023-24 NSW Budget [due to this],” he told Manly Observer in a written statement last week.
“We understand this project has strong community support on the Northern Beaches and as such we have directed Transport for NSW to continue work on the detailed design to enable future delivery of the project. The community will be kept informed of progress.”
Listed on page 21 of the 2023-2024 State Infrastructure Plan document is the Mona Vale Road West upgrade, shows construction of the Mona Vale west works will commence in the second quarter of 2026 and be completed by the second quarter of 2029 (estimated completion dates), according to this article also covering the Mona Vale East works in Pittwater Online News.
But keeping the project in limbo for so many years is problematic, countered Mr Amon, who said the government’s refusal to undertake a safety audit of the road and implement measures while drivers await an upgrade put his community at risk. “When the next crash sadly occurs, the Government will be culpable for any loss of life, injury, and ensuing traffic chaos,” Mr Amon claimed, adding that more than 16,500 people had signed his petition to get cracking on the works.
What’s planned?
Transport for NSW says the Mona Vale Road West upgrade will include:
- Widening Mona Vale Road between McCarrs Creek Road and Powder Works Road from two lanes to four lanes with a central concrete safety barrier
- Providing a new traffic signal intersection at Kimbriki Road and Mona Vale Road, including additional dedicated turning lanes and a truck climbing lane
- Relocating the intersection of Mona Vale Road and Tumburra Street to the west by about 40 metres and changing access to left turn in and left turn out only
- Closing the existing intersection at Mona Vale Road and Addison Road to general traffic and restricting access to emergency vehicles only
- Constructing a new local road connection between Bungendore Street and Powder Works Road, using the existing Harvey Road corridor, and extending the new local road east of Addison Road to meet the intersection of Mona Vale Road and Powder Works Road
- Removing bus stops near the intersection of Tumburra Street and re-directing bus services along the new local road connection and Tumburra Street to serve existing and future land uses
- Providing new and improved fauna connections including a 40 metre wide fauna bridge over Mona Vale Road and two fauna underpasses
- Constructing a shared use path on the northern side of Mona Vale Road between McCarrs Creek Road and Addison Road
- Upgrading street lighting for the full length of the project
- Constructing retaining walls and/or sandstone cuttings at various locations along the alignment
- Landscaping over the length of the proposal.
For further information about this project, you can contact:
Phone: 1800 633 332
Email: monavaleroad@transport.nsw.gov.au
Mail: Mona Vale Road Upgrade, PO Box 973 Parramatta NSW 2124
