Sydney Cross City Tunnel Fiasco Likely to be Repeated at Lane Cove

It shouldn't be a surprise to Sydney residents that the NSW government makes changes to existing infrastructure to promote the use of privately funded transport links. It's been happening for years.

You only have to look at the positioning of the tollgates on the M4 Motorway. They were placed kilometers away from the new section of privately funded roadway simply to make it harder to avoid the toll. Voter anger in western Sydney was so severe regarding this issue that the government felt compelled to set up a scheme to refund the tolls.

You'd think they'd learn ... but no.

The NSW government's now in mess as no one is using the expensively tolled Cross City Tunnel. Associated road changes, particularly on William Street, to force motorists to use the tunnel have created a furious backlash.

The government is being forced to go 'cap in hand' to the tunnel owners to allow them to renege on the tunnel contract conditions that require the reduction of the traffic carrying capacity of William Street.

Mr Tripodi said he would also "negotiate" with the [Cross City Tunnel] company over possibly allowing more lanes of William Street to be opened for traffic.

But wait! The same thing is likely to happen when the Lane Cove Tunnel is opened in a years time!

In the RTA webpage (planning appoval brochure) regarding the Lane Cove Tunnel:

Planning approval also requires the development of Local Area Traffic Management Plans in consultation with stakeholders and the community to mitigate increases in traffic on local roads and to maintain the benefits of reduced traffic on other roads as a result of opening the tunnel.

And again by the RTA:

There will also be modifications to Epping Road to provide improved facilities for cyclists, pedestrians and public transport.

It took a bit of Googling to find out what they have in mind, but the information is in the .pdf links on the Lane Cove Council's Tunnel webpage.

A number of representations expressed concern that the Lane Cove Tunnel may not provide the expected improvements in regard to the anticipated reduction in traffic along Epping Road and the consequent improvement to the visual environment and local amenity. A number of representations also raised concerns that the ability of the Proposal to deliver the boulevard character to the streetscape was questionable with the additional widening of Epping Road.

In response the RTA advised that an extensive assessment of the finished streetscape along Epping Road was undertaken which identified opportunities for additional planting to reduce the perception of Epping Road as an arterial road. These enhancements include the provision of a feature wall along the northern side of Epping Road between Centennial Avenue and Parklands Avenue, augmentation of existing planting and the development of "Gateway" concepts at each end of Epping Road. Additional opportunities for street tree planting, median strip landscaping and the undergrounding of powerlines
were identified by the RTA in the Representations Report.

The measures include ...

No more than six (6) months after Project opening the Proponent shall install continuous 24 hour bus lanes in both directions on Epping Road/Longueville Road from Mowbray Road West to the commencement of the Gore Hill Freeway in consultation with the PTC.

In other words, much the same as is proposed for William Street. This measure will severely limit the carrying capacity of Epping Road to force motorists to use the new tunnel.

Expect another outcry when motorists realise the changes are designed to line the pockets of the tunnel's private owners.