July 2019 Frequently Asked Questions Drive closure, Stanwell Park

The NSW Government is funding this $4.5 million safety project to carry out slope stabilisation work on Lawrence Hargrave Drive at Stanwell Park.

Why are we doing this work? Your feedback will help us finalise the timeframe Lawrence Hargrave Drive crosses the for this work and to alert us to any issues or Escarpment and slope movement can frequently concerns you may have. occur, resulting in cracking in the road surface We will use this information in our plans to help and shoulders minimise the impact of the work as much as We have conducted in-depth geotechnical possible. investigations and have identified a number of Once we have reviewed your feedback we will places between Otford Road and Chellow Dene update the community of the outcomes and the Avenue where we need to carry out work to work details. stabilise the slope and reduce the risk of land What work will be carried out? slips. This work is essential to keep the road safe and open to traffic in the long term. This work will be carried out in two stages to minimise the impact on the community and on How will the road closure affect me? road users. Lawrence Hargrave Drive will be closed in two We will be installing mesh and soil nails (steel stages for four weeks each, 24 hours a day. The first four-week closure is proposed during bars up to 13 metres long) to reinforce and February/March 2020 and the second during strengthen the ground, as well as constructing a May/June 2020. concrete retaining wall. During the work we will also be repairing the road Why is it necessary to close the road during the work? surface, replacing guardrails and improving drainage to assist with groundwater run-off. Closing the road is essential to ensure the safety of all road users and workers. What other options did Roads and Maritime look at? The road at this location is narrow and work involves using large machinery and drilling A number of options were considered, including:

equipment which doesn’t leave enough room for • Working with one lane open. This option was

vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists to pass safely. considered unsafe as some of the equipment

Crews will be working day and night shifts, seven covers the entire width of the road.

days a week, to ensure that the work is completed • Opening and closing the road for peak hour

as quickly as possible. traffic or weekends. This is problematic as How can I have my say on this project? some machinery can take four to six hours to set up and pack down which would not allow We are inviting you to have your say on the enough time for work activities to be closure. completed. rms.nsw.gov.au

• Working only at night. There are some key What will be the impact of the detour? activities which need to be carried out in Detours will be in place via and the M1 daylight for workers’ safety which means this . option is unsuitable. • One long closure of about two months. This Motorists should plan their journey and allow up to 40 minutes extra travel time. option would cause significant impacts to road users, businesses and residents, particularly Portable electronic messaging boards will display during holiday periods or special events. information to motorists about the closure including dates and detour routes. Will residents still be able to access their properties? Heavy vehicles over 19 metres or 42.5 tonnes

Residents within the closure area will be able to should use the M1 as normal. access their property at all times with the What plans have been prepared for the assistance of traffic controllers. detour routes?

Can cyclists pass through the work site? Detailed plans for traffic and emergency No traffic, including cyclists, will be able to access management of the detour routes during the the area during the road closure. Cyclists can use closure have been prepared. train services between Stanwell Park, Otford and These plans will help to ensure that road safety Helensburgh or use the via Bulli and journey times on the detour routes are Pass. prioritised during the closure period.

Can pedestrians access the area? We will work with our heavy vehicle enforcement There is no pedestrian access on this section of teams and NSW Police to implement regular Lawrence Hargrave Drive at any time. safety-related activities on the M1.

Can additional train and/or bus services be What happens if there is an emergency in provided? the area – will responders have access?

We will continue talks with Trains in the In the event of an emergency, the road could be lead-up to this work to determine if this is feasible. reopened in a matter of hours.

What will you do to reduce the noise impact We have held discussions with all emergency of this work? services and will continue to work closely with

There will be noise during construction, however these and other stakeholders to deliver effective to reduce the impact on residents, noisier work incident management plans. such as excavation, drilling and tree removal will Who has been involved as part of the be completed during day shifts. process?

We will turn machinery off when not in use and We are speaking with local residents and position equipment away from residential areas businesses, City Council, Destination wherever possible. Wollongong, NSW emergency services, Sydney We will work closely with residents who may be Trains, freight industry and schools about this most impacted by noise and will discuss closure. appropriate mitigation measures. We will consider their feedback in our planning. How is the project managing potential How can I find further information about this impacts to the environment? project? A Review of Environmental Factors (REF) is Visit our website for more information about the being prepared and will address all potential project, detour routes and maps and how to have environmental impacts. The community’s feedback on this closure will be included in the your say: rms.work/lhd-closure. REF.

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