On November 8 2023 Infrastructure NSW released the updated NSW Major Infrastructure Pipeline and the 2023-2024 State Infrastructure Plan. The 2023-2024 State Infrastructure Plan outlines drivers and market context for the NSW Government’s infrastructure program over the next five years. It provides project specific information to support transparency to industry via the NSW Major Infrastructure Pipeline.
The Mona Vale Road West upgrade project was deferred for two years following the 2023 NSW Independent Strategic Infrastructure Review.
Listed on page 21 of the 2023-2024 State Infrastructure Plan document is the Mona Vale Road West upgrade, McCarrs Creek Road to Powder Works Road showing Procurement will commence in the final Quarter of 2025 and be completed in the first Quarter of 2026, with Construction of the works to commence in the second Quarter of 2026 and be completed by the second Quarter of 2029 (estimated completion dates).
The NSW Major Infrastructure Pipeline was updated to reflect relevant projects provided for in the 2023-24 Budget, which includes a $116.5 billion infrastructure commitment over four years with a focus on delivering more schools, hospitals and public transport for the people of NSW, Infrastructure NSW (INSW) stated in a release.
Transport for NSW also confirmed to PON queries that the $25 million budget allocation announced in June 2022 wasn’t spent due to additional time required to undertake further planning investigations. The 2023-24 budget allocation of $348,000 was towards the continuation of the detailed design phase of the project.
A Transport for NSW Spokesperson stated to PON in 2023;
''Earlier this year, the NSW Government undertook an independent review of the state’s infrastructure pipeline, tasked with identifying projects and programs that should no longer proceed, be delayed or have their scope altered. As a result of this review, the Mona Vale Road West project has been deferred for two years.
Transport for NSW remains committed to the delivery of this project. ''
However following a spate of accidents on this stretch of the MVR, where it becomes a single lane between Tumburra Street and Kimbriki tip, through which residents sustained serious injuries, and the passageway was effectively blocked for hours, Pittwater MP Rory Amon tabled a question in the NSW Parliament on November 29 2023 to the Minister for Transport; ''Does the Government have any current plans to commission a safety audit of Mona Vale Road West to understand the safety risks posed by the construction site and a road which halves in width along the western section?''
The reply, given on December 22nd, was; ''I am advised: The Mona Vale Road West upgrade project is deferred for two years following the 2023 NSW Independent Strategic Infrastructure Review. Transport for NSW commissions Road Safety Audits as part of its project development stages. As the project has been deferred, there will be no Road Safety Audits for the Mona Vale Road west upgrade commissioned at this time.''
“If Labor won’t fund the $340 million upgrade now, they must assess the safety of the road and implement temporary safety measures until the road is upgraded,” Mr Amon reiterated in a release on January 17 2024
“Every injury and life lost on Mona Vale Road West from here on lays at the feet of Chris Minns and his Government. I am again calling on the Government to urgently undertake a safety audit of Mona Vale Road West and implement its recommendations immediately,” Mr Amon said.
The Pittwater MP is calling for the implementation of interim safety measures.
Residents have pointed out that when the Wakehurst Parkway is flooded and closed as a result, all those north of Narrabeen would be effectively cut off from direct access to the Northern Beaches Hospital via ambulance and the west of Sydney for the work commute should both an accident and a flood event occur at the same time.
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MVR West section where it is a single lane each way between Kimbriki and Tumburra Street, Ingleside
Transport for NSW has made available the following updates regarding the MVR Upgrades.
Ingleside work area (west of Tumburra Street - the 'piles of dust') Update
As part of the works, the contractors have also been constructing a new road formation along the northern side of Mona Vale Road next to Tumburra Street at Ingleside - referred to by locals as 'the piles of dust'.
However, once the earthworks are complete, the area will be bitumen sealed and vegetation planted to minimise soil erosion. These early works will form part of the next stage of the Mona Vale Road upgrade and will prevent runoff into the adjacent Garigal park areas, local creeks and Narrabeen Lagoon.
the 'piles of dust', photo taken: January 20, 2024. images supplied
Mona Vale Road Fauna Bridge Update
Greater Sydney’s ‘first-of-its-kind’ fauna bridge will provide a safe crossing for native animals living along and near Mona Vale Road. The fauna bridge was lifted in place in August 2023. Over the past few months, the contractors have been finishing the main deck, side barriers and installed posts for the new bridge screen. In early 2024, they will extend the current ramp down into the Biodiversity Conservation Trust Land and complete the fauna crossing with landscaping on and around the bridge.
MVR East Fauna overpass, photo taken: January 20, 2024. image supplied
Change to parking –Foley Street to Bungan Street (eastbound)
The opening of four lanes along Mona Vale Road between Ponderosa Parade and Foley Street at Mona Vale has raised a safety concern where parked cars on the eastbound kerb side lane force traffic to merge.
Following community feedback, Transport for NSW have implemented daytime parking restrictions in this location from Thursday 21 December. There will be no parking from 6am to 7pm Monday to Sunday.
This change removes the need to merge from two lanes into one, east of Foley Street. This is consistent with the rest of Mona Vale Road and ensures a safer outcome for motorists, T for NSW states.
Bike lane - shared path
Following queries to the news service for an update about the bike lanes along the MVR East upgrade – to Ingleside, for which the project Page states:
‘’The key features of the Mona Vale Road East upgrade include:
- Providing three metre wide shoulders along Mona Vale Road between Manor Road and Daydream Street to allow a safer area for breakdowns and on-road cyclists
- Providing a three metre wide shared path along the northern side of Mona Vale Road for pedestrians and cyclists. This is currently being redesigned.'
PON asked for any update on when this component will be completed and what it comprises now that the project is so close to completion.
A Transport for NSW Spokesperson said:
''Transport for NSW is upgrading Mona Vale Road East to improve safety and traffic efficiency at this key road corridor, with added benefits for cyclists including widened road shoulders and a shared user path.
The shared path along Mona Vale Road from Foley Street to Lane Cove Road is currently in redesign. Transport for NSW is working with Northern Beaches Council to investigate alternative pathway route options, and advice from Pedestrian Council of Australia will be incorporated in the design. ''
What you will see in 2024
While all lanes were made available from 3pm Thursday 21 December to 6pm Sunday 7 January 2024, there are still some minor works to be complete in early 2024.
To allow for this work to be done safely and quickly, lane closures will be reinstated along Mona Vale Road. This will avoid the need for multiple lane changes and minimise disruption to traffic flows and also ensure a safe separation between the traffic and work areas.
These works include:
- completing the final asphalting layer at and near the intersections
- fauna ramp construction, landscaping and installing screens on the fauna bridge
- installing a permanent VMS board
- remaining signposting, fencing, and landscaping works.
Transport for NSW will continue to update the community and road users of traffic changes with work notifications, variable messaging signs, static signs and traffic management.
A Few Stat.s
Over the course of the MVR East Upgrade:
- 219, 156 square metres of rock has been cut - the equivalent of 88 Olympics sized pools
- 19, 000 square metres of asphalt has been laid (19km) - the equivalent of over 200 soccer fields
Mona Vale Road West Key Features
(Reviewed 23 Mar 2023)
The key features of the Mona Vale Road West upgrade include:
- Widening 3.4 kilometres of 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.
