Mount Victoria to Lithgow - Roads and Maritime Services€¦ · Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor ii | Page 12

Mount Victoria to LithgowGreat Western Highway UpgradeStrategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor

November 2008

RTA/Pub. 08.411 ISBN 9781921474866

Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade

STRATEGIC REVIEW OF A NEWNES

PLATEAU CORRIDOR

Cardno (NSW) Ltd

Level 3, Cardno Building

910 Pacific Highway

Gordon NSW 2072

Tel: (02) 9496 7700

Fax: (02) 9499 3902

“© 2008 Cardno All Rights Reserved. Copyright in the whole and every part

of this document belongs to Cardno and may not be used, sold,

transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or

form or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent

of Cardno.”

November 2008


Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor

CE001081_GWH NPC_ Draft Report_rev6 P a g e | i

DOCUMENT CONTROL Cardno (NSW) Ltd

Level 3, Cardno Building

910 Pacific Highway

Gordon NSW 2072

Tel: (02) 9496 7700

Fax: (02) 9499 3902

DOCUMENT HISTORY AND STATUS

Revision Date Issued Prepared by Approved by Date Approved Revisions Type

1 17 Oct 2008

A. Levy

L. Collier

J. Rayment

A. Levy 17 Oct 2008

Preliminary

Draft for

comment

2 22 Oct 2008

A. Levy

L. Collier

J. Rayment

A. Levy 22 Oct 2008

Preliminary

Draft for

comment Ver 2

3 26 Oct 2008

A. Levy

L. Collier

J. Rayment

A. Levy 26 Oct 2008 Draft Ver 3 for

internal review

4 04 Nov 2008

A. Levy

L. Collier

J. Rayment

L. Collier 04 Nov 2008 Draft Ver 4 for

RTA comment

5 07 Nov 2008

A. Levy

L. Collier

J. Rayment


RTA comment

6 12 Nov 2008

A. Levy

L. Collier

J. Rayment


Exhibition

Printed 12/11/2008

Last Saved 12/11/2008 1:44 PM

File Name CE001081_GWH NPC_ Draft Report_rev6

Authors Anissa Levy, Louise Collier, John Rayment, John Olsen, Leonard

Drynan, Rhys Thomson

Project Director Jim Verco

Project Manager Anissa Levy

Name of Organisation Roads and Traffic Authority

Name of Project Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade

Strategic Review of Newnes Plateau Corridor Study

Name of Document Technical Report

Document Version Draft for Exhibition

Project Number CE001081



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Technical Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1 BACKGROUNDPART 1 BACKGROUNDPART 1 BACKGROUNDPART 1 BACKGROUND 1

1 INTRODUCTION 2

1.1 PROJECT OVERVIEW 2

1.2 BACKGROUND 4

1.3 STUDY AREA 6

1.3.1 Constraints mapping area 9

1.3.2 Transport planning area 10

1.4 REPORT STRUCTURE 10

2 STRATEGIC CONTEXT 12

2.1 HISTORY OF THE ROUTE 12

2.2 EXISTING ROLE 13

2.3 STRATEGIC OVERVIEW 14

2.4 NEED FOR AN UPGRADE 16

2.4.1 Safety 16

2.4.2 Freight 17

2.4.3 Strategic planning 17

2.5 STUDY OBJECTIVES 18

3 PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS 19

3.1 BELLS LINE OF ROAD CORRIDOR STUDY 20

3.2 BELLS LINE OF ROAD DEVELOPMENT STUDY 20

3.3 GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY UPGRADE, LITTLE HARTLEY 21

3.4 MOUNT VICTORIA TO LITHGOW UPGRADE - CRASH REPORT 21

3.5 MOUNT VICTORIA TO LITHGOW UPGRADE – BACKGROUND REPORT 21

3.6 OTHER STUDIES 22

4 METHODOLOGY 23

4.1 APPROACH OVERVIEW 23

4.2 STAGED APPROACH 24

4.2.1 Phase A – assess inputs and constraints and select corridor 24

4.2.2 Phase B – corridor assessment 25

4.2.3 Phase C - recommendations 25

5 CONSULTATION 26

5.1 INTRODUCTION 26

5.2 STAKEHOLDER CONSTRAINTS WORKSHOP 26

5.3 PROPOSED STAKEHOLDER CORRIDOR WORKSHOPS 27

6 CORRIDOR IDENTIFICATION 28

6.1 HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT 28

6.2 VERTICAL ALIGNMENT 28

6.3 CARRIAGEWAY CONFIGURATION 30

PART 2 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTSPART 2 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTSPART 2 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTSPART 2 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS 33

7 INTRODUCTION 34

8 CONSTRAINTS IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS PROCESS 35

9 CONSTRAINTS MAPPING 36

9.1 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 36

9.1.1 Topography 36

9.1.2 Watercourses and dams 38

9.1.3 Geology and minerals 40

9.1.4 Mine subsidence 40



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9.2 ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTAL 43

9.2.1 Parks and reserves 43

9.2.2 Threatened species and communities 43

9.2.3 Ecological communities 48

9.2.4 Water quality and catchments 48

9.2.5 Riparian corridors 48

9.2.6 Air quality, noise and pollution 49

9.3 HERITAGE ENVIRONMENT 51

9.3.1 Aboriginal heritage 51

9.3.2 Non-Aboriginal heritage 52

9.3.3 Native title 57

9.4 SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 58

9.4.1 Commercial value 58

9.4.2 Residence and key workplace locations 58

9.4.3 Education facilities 61

9.4.4 Social services 61

9.5 LAND USE AND PLANNING ENVIRONMENT 61

9.5.1 Land tenure 61

9.5.2 Major projects 61

9.5.3 Australian Defence Force land 65

9.5.4 Mining leases and plantations 65

9.6 EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE ENVIRONMENT 68

9.6.1 Roads, railways and electricity transmission lines 68

10 CONSTRAINT GRID CREATION 71

11 CONSTRAINTS WEIGHTING AND COMBINATION 75

12 CORRIDOR SELECTION 79

13 THE PRELIMINARY OPTION – KEY ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES 81

PART 3 ENGINEERING DESIGN AND COSTINPART 3 ENGINEERING DESIGN AND COSTINPART 3 ENGINEERING DESIGN AND COSTINPART 3 ENGINEERING DESIGN AND COSTINGGGG 83

14 INTRODUCTION 84

15 DESIGN CRITERIA 85

15.1 OVERVIEW 85

15.2 MOUNT VICTORIA TO LITHGOW BASE CASE CORRIDOR 85

15.3 NEWNES PLATEAU CORRIDOR 86

16 CORRIDOR DESCRIPTION 87

16.1 OVERVIEW 87

16.2 CORRIDOR SELECTION PROCESS 87

16.3 DESIGN ASPECTS 87

16.3.1 General aspects 87

16.3.2 Survey 88

16.3.3 Typical cross sections 88

16.3.4 Overtaking provisions 90

16.3.5 Geometric design 90

16.3.6 Earthworks 91

16.3.7 Intersections and access 91

16.3.8 Bridges and structures 92

16.4 DESCRIPTION OF CORRIDORS 92

16.4.1 Proposed Mount Victoria to Lithgow base case corridor route option 92

16.4.2 Proposed Newnes Plateau corridor route option 94

16.4.3 Newnes Plateau option (grades six per cent—eight per cent) 96

17 STRATEGIC COST ESTIMATES 97

17.1 OVERVIEW 97

17.2 BASIS FOR COST ESTIMATES 97

17.2.1 Cost items and rates 97



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17.2.2 Contingencies 99

17.2.3 Maintenance costs 99

17.3 SUMMARY OF COST ESTIMATES 99

17.4 SUMMARY OF MAINTENANCE COST ESTIMATES 101

17.4.1 Base costs for maintenance 101

17.4.2 Whole of life cost of maintenance 103

PART 4 TRANSPORT PLANNINGPART 4 TRANSPORT PLANNINGPART 4 TRANSPORT PLANNINGPART 4 TRANSPORT PLANNING 105

18 EXISTING TRANSPORT SITUATION 106

18.1 GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY (STATE HIGHWAY NO. 5) 106

18.1.1 General description 106

18.1.2 Detailed descriptions 108

18.2 STATION STREET/DARLING CAUSEWAY (MAIN ROAD NO. 184) 116



18.3 CHIFLEY ROAD TO MAIN STREET (MAIN ROAD NO. 516) 117



18.4 CARRIAGEWAY CHARACTERISTICS 118

18.5 ADJACENT LAND USES 124

18.6 ANNUAL AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC VOLUMES (AADT) 124

18.7 TRAFFIC FLOWS AND COMPOSITION 128

18.7.1 Daily traffic flows 128

18.7.2 Proportion of heavy vehicles 130

18.7.3 Peak traffic flows 130

18.8 ROAD SAFETY 135

18.9 ROAD LINK NETWORK PERFORMANCE 145

18.10 NUMBER PLATE SURVEY 154

18.11 TRAVEL TIMES 154

18.12 THROUGH TRAFFIC 154

18.13 EXISTING TRAVEL PATTERNS 156

19 TRANSPORT MODELLING 159

19.1 OVERVIEW OF ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY 159

19.2 MODEL DEVELOPMENT 159

19.2.1 TRARR performance model 159

19.2.2 SATURN models 165

19.3 FUTURE TRAVEL DEMANDS 168

19.3.1 Horizon years 168

19.3.2 Growth scenarios 168

20 NETWORK SCENARIOS 170

20.1 NETWORK OPTIONS 170

20.1.1 Network features 174

20.1.2 Model options 177

20.2 NETWORK TESTING RESULTS 178

20.2.1 Traffic volumes 179

20.2.2 Travel times 188

20.2.3 Network performance 189

PART 5 CONCLUSIONSPART 5 CONCLUSIONSPART 5 CONCLUSIONSPART 5 CONCLUSIONS 193

21 VIABILITY 194

21.1 ENVIRONMENTAL 194

21.2 ENGINEERING 194

21.3 TRANSPORT PLANNING 195



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22 KEY ISSUES 196

22.1 ENVIRONMENTAL 196

22.2 ENGINEERING 196

22.3 TRANSPORT PLANNING 197

23 CONCLUDING STATEMENT 198

GLOSSARY OF TERMSGLOSSARY OF TERMSGLOSSARY OF TERMSGLOSSARY OF TERMS 199

REFERENCESREFERENCESREFERENCESREFERENCES 201

APPENDICESAPPENDICESAPPENDICESAPPENDICES i



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APPENDICES Appendix A Great Western Highway Upgrade Map Emu Plains to Mount Victoria

Appendix B Newnes Plateau corridor Workshop 2 September Sample Stakeholder Invitation

Letter

Appendix C Western Advocate Article

Appendix D Newnes Plateau corridor Workshop 2 September Notice in Lithgow Mercury

Appendix E Newnes Plateau corridor Workshop 2 September ‘Letter to Householder’

Appendix F Newnes Plateau corridor Workshop 2 September Meeting Notes

Appendix G Mount Victoria to Lithgow base case Alignment

Appendix H Newnes Plateau corridor Alignment

Appendix I Basis for Cost Estimates

Appendix J Cost Estimates

Appendix K Road network inventory

Appendix L 2008 Classification counts

Appendix M Full trip matrices

Appendix N SATURN model outputs

LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS Photograph 2.1 Mitchell’s Causeway on Victoria Pass – late 1800s 13

Photograph 2.2 Bowenfels rail subway on Cooerwull Road (formerly Great Western Highway) 14

Photograph 18.1 Great Western Highway, looking west at Harley Avenue, Mount Victoria 108

Photograph 18.2 Great Western Highway, looking east at Burwood Road, Mount Victoria 109

Photograph 18.3 Great Western Highway, looking west at Victoria Pass 110

Photograph 18.4 Great Western Highway, looking west towards Mid Hartley Road, Little Hartley 111

Photograph 18.5 Great Western Highway, looking west ascending River Lett Hill 112

Photograph 18.6 Great Western Highway, looking south near Lee Street, Lithgow 113

Photograph 18.7 Great Western Highway, looking east to Farmers Creek 114

Photograph 18.8 Great Western Highway, looking west towards Castlereagh Highway 115

LIST OF TABLES Table 8.1 Environmental categories and constraints 35

Table 9.1 Threatened fauna species 44

Table 9.2 Threatened flora species 47

Table 9.3 Heritage listed items 56

Table 10.1 Environmental constraints and ranking system 73

Table 11.1 Proportionate weighting of constraints within categories 76

Table 17.1 Cost estimates 100

Table 17.2 Reality Check 101

Table 17.3 Base costs for maintenance 102

Table 18.1 AADT summary 124

Table 18.2 AADT growth rates 1996 to 2005 125

Table 18.3 2008 average weekday daily traffic volumes (AWD) 128

Table 18.4 Average weekday daily heavy vehicle proportions (AWD) 130

Table 18.5 Average weekday PM peak volumes 135

Table 18.6 Road section summaries 137

Table 18.7 Crash data from 2003 to 2007 138

Table 18.8 Crash rates 2003 to 2007 143

Table 18.9 Existing route operating characteristics (afternoon 4—5pm) 146



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Table 18.10 Existing route operating characteristics (night 8—9pm) 150

Table 18.11 2008 summary trip matrix – light vehicles (4—5pm) 156

Table 18.12 2008 summary trip matrix – heavy vehicles (4—5pm) 157

Table 18.13 2008 summary trip matrix – light vehicles (8—9pm) 157

Table 18.14 2008 summary trip matrix – heavy vehicles (8—9pm) 158

Table 19.1 Existing route operating speeds – afternoon (4—5pm) 161

Table 19.2 Existing route operating speeds – night (8—9pm) 162

Table 19.3 Afternoon travel time comparison - modelled vs. observed 163

Table 19.4 Evening travel time comparison - modelled vs. observed 164

Table 19.5 Percentage of links with GEH < 5.0 168

Table 19.6 Low growth assumptions 169

Table 19.7 High growth assumptions 169

Table 20.1 Comparison of journey distances (km) 176

Table 20.2 Modelling iterations/options assessment and file naming convention 178

Table 20.3 Modelling results – 2011 high/low growth (vehicles/day) 180

Table 20.4 Modelling results – 2041 low growth (vehicles/day) 181

Table 20.5 Modelling results – 2041 high growth (vehicles/day) 182

Table 20.6 4—5 pm Travel times between Marrangaroo and Soldiers Pinch (minutes) 188

Table 20.7 Vehicle operating time through study area 190

Table 20.8 Vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) through study area 191

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Mount Victoria to Lithgow upgrade study initial study area 3

Figure 1.2 Locality map 6

Figure 1.3 Study region 7

Figure 1.4 Elevation model 8

Figure 1.5 Constraints mapping areas 9

Figure 2.1 Bells Line of Road corridor study preferred option 15

Figure 4.1 Methodology flowchart 23

Figure 6.1 Newnes Plateau corridor option with comparative base case corridor option 29

Figure 6.2 Three lane undivided carriageway 30

Figure 6.3 Three lane carriageway with central barrier 30

Figure 6.4 Four lane divided carriageway 31

Figure 9.1 Study area topography 37

Figure 9.2 Watercourses and dam/reservoirs 39

Figure 9.3 Major geological regions 41

Figure 9.4 Lithgow mine subsidence district 42

Figure 9.5 National parks and reserves 45

Figure 9.6 Threatened flora, fauna and ecological communities identified 46

Figure 9.7 Non-endangered ecological communities 50

Figure 9.8 Potential Aboriginal heritage areas 54

Figure 9.9 Non-Aboriginal heritage locations 55

Figure 9.10 Commercial opportunities 59

Figure 9.11 Residence and workplace locations 60

Figure 9.12 Educational facilities 62

Figure 9.13 Social services 63

Figure 9.14 Approved major projects and defence land 64

Figure 9.15 Mineral, coal and petroleum application and titles 67

Figure 9.16 Pine plantations 69

Figure 9.17 Existing infrastructure 70

Figure 10.1 Spatial ecology constraints 72

Figure 10.2 Topographic existing road constraints 72

Figure 11.1 Spatial financial constraints 77



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Figure 11.2 Spatial social constraints 77

Figure 11.3 Spatial environmental constraints 78

Figure 11.4 Cumulative spatial constraint map 78

Figure 12.1 Newnes Plateau corridor option with comparative base case corridor option 80

Figure 16.1 Four lane divided carriageway (option A) 88

Figure 16.2 Three Lane carriageway with central barrier (option B) 89

Figure 16.3 Three lane carriageway (option C) 89

Figure 18.1 Existing routes 107

Figure 18.2 Existing routes – number of lanes and centreline marking 119

Figure 18.3 Existing routes – shoulder width and type 120

Figure 18.4 Existing routes – speed zones 121

Figure 18.5 Existing routes – median type 122

Figure 18.6 Intersection treatments 123

Figure 18.7 AADT volume summary 126

Figure 18.8 AADT volume summary – Lithgow area 127

Figure 18.9 Classification count locations and summary volumes 129

Figure 18.10 Daily distribution of traffic – Great Western Highway at Tunnel Hill 131

Figure 18.11 Daily distribution of traffic – Great Western Hwy, east of Jenolan Caves Road 132

Figure 18.12 Daily distribution of traffic – Great Western Highway, west of Soldiers Pinch 133

Figure 18.13 Daily distribution of traffic – Chifley Road, north of Great Western Highway 134

Figure 18.14 Fatal crashes 2003 to 2007 139

Figure 18.15 Injury crashes 2003 to 2007 140

Figure 18.16 Tow-away crashes 2003 to 2007 141

Figure 18.17 All crashes 2003 to 2007 142

Figure 18.18 Great Western Highway operating parameters (4—5pm) 147

Figure 18.19 Darling Causeway operating parameters (4—5pm) 148

Figure 18.20 Chifley Road operating parameters (4—5pm) 149

Figure 18.21 Great Western Highway operating parameters (8—9pm) 151

Figure 18.22 Darling Causeway operating parameters (8—9pm) 152

Figure 18.23 Chifley Road operating parameters (8—9pm) 153

Figure 18.24 Number plate survey locations 155

Figure 19.1 Afternoon volume comparison (modelled vs. counts) 167

Figure 19.2 Evening volume comparison (modelled vs. counts) 167

Figure 20.1 ‘Do minimum’ modelled network* 171

Figure 20.2 Mount Victoria to Lithgow base case corridor modelled network* 172

Figure 20.3 Newnes Plateau corridor modelled network* 173

Figure 20.4 ‘Do minimum’ modelled volumes (veh/day) 183

Figure 20.5 Mount Victoria to Lithgow base case corridor modelled volumes (veh/day) 184

Figure 20.6 Newnes Plateau corridor moderate grade modelled volumes (veh/day) 185

Figure 20.7 Newnes Plateau corridor steep grade modelled volumes (veh/day) 186

Figure 20.8 Annual vehicles kilometres travelled (VKT) and vehicle operating times (VOT) 192



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FOREWORDFOREWORDFOREWORDFOREWORD

The Great Western Highway is the main road link between Sydney and Lithgow and beyond to

the central west of New South Wales.

The Great Western Highway features as:

� A key freight route between Sydney and the central west of NSW, including the timber

industry in the Oberon area.

� A tourist route with destinations including the Blue Mountains, Historic Hartley, Jenolan

Caves, Mudgee and Bathurst.

� A connecting and local road between the many towns and villages along its length.

The Australian and NSW government, with the community, are investigating this section of the

Great Western Highway between Mount Victoria and Lithgow to determine the preferred

alignment for an upgrade.

Following initial community consultation for the investigation, some community members

requested that the RTA examine the viability of an alternative highway upgrade corridor from

Marangaroo (to the west of Lithgow) to the Newnes Plateau, Bell, across the Darling Causeway

to east of Mount Victoria.

This study has been completed in response to this request.



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EXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The NSW and Australian government, in consultation with the community, are investigating

potential corridor alignments for the section of the Great Western Highway from Mount Victoria

to Lithgow. This study was commissioned to provide a strategic level review of a potential

Newnes Plateau corridor option assessment against a corridor option through the previously

identified Mount Victoria to Lithgow initial study area, in order to determine the viability of a

Newnes Plateau corridor.

The study involved:

� An environmental constraint analysis.

� An assessment of the existing transport situation.

� Identification of a possible corridor option and a base case for comparison.

� An evaluation of the transport corridor attraction and operational performance.

� An assessment of the engineering costs of a possible corridor option.

� A multi-criteria analysis of the option compared to the base case.

� An evaluation of the viability of the possible corridor option.

A thorough strategic review was undertaken of the Newnes Plateau area. Based on the

assessment of a significant number of environmental constraints, a corridor through the

Newnes Plateau study area was identified and compared with a Mount Victoria to Lithgow base

case option. This corridor provided a more direct connection from Marrangaroo to Newnes

Junction, through to Bell and Soldiers Pinch. Whilst there are some issues in relation to

environmental constraints that may require further investigation, there were no specific issues

that entirely ruled out the provision of the proposed corridor.

A feasible engineering route was able to be determined through the corridor that met the key

design criteria for the route. There were no significant engineering issues that could not be

resolved.

The relatively direct nature of the proposed route meant that on the grounds of transport

planning the route would attract reasonable levels of traffic diversion from the existing Great

Western Highway, both for through traffic and also for some local trips. There are advantages

in both corridor options considered (i.e. the Mount Victoria to Lithgow base case and the

Newnes Plateau) with the Newnes Plateau corridor option providing diversion from the existing

Great Western Highway over a greater length. The Newnes Plateau corridor option also offers a

bypass of Lithgow with better connections to the Bells Line of Road. The Mount Victoria to

Lithgow base case corridor offers somewhat greater diversion levels from the existing Great

Western Highway but over a significantly shorter distance. The Mount Victoria to Lithgow base

case also offers benefits for traffic travelling to or from Lithgow that would utilise this

corridor.

Finally, the issue of total affordability must be considered. The Mount Victoria to Lithgow base

case corridor has been estimated to cost approximately $480m with the steep and moderate

grade options for the Newnes Plateau corridor estimated to cost approximately $780 and

$900m respectively (60 per cent and 85 per cent greater cost respectively).



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Whilst the total affordability is a limitation of the corridor, it is considered that the Newnes

Plateau corridor option provides sufficient social and environmental advantages to make it

worthy of further consideration at this stage, in the overall Mount Victoria to Lithgow study

area, subject to further consultation with the community.

Documents

Mount Victoria to Lithgow - Roads and Maritime Services€¦ · Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor ii | Page 12