Castle Hill Ring Road
Latest Information
USING THE ROAD - All through traffic on Old Northern Road is now diverted around the main street onto Terminus Street. Traffic approaching from the north along Old Northern Road heading to Showground Road should turn off at McMullen Ave and use the Western Ring Road.
Traffic approaching from the south heading towards Dural and the north should turn onto the Eastern Ring Road at Cecil Ave. Traffic on Crane Road will become two way for the section between Old Northern Road and Terminus Street.
Customers wishing to get to Old Northern Road between Terminus Street and Crane Road (opposite Arthur Whitling Park) must enter and exit via the top of the Eastern Ring Road - left in/left out only.
Below are detailed maps showing the new traffic arrangements.
CONSTRUCTION HISTORY
The eastern bypass, known as the Eastern Ring Road, involveD the upgrade of a 1km section of road from Benaara Gardens to Brisbane Road via Cecil Avenue and Terminus Street. This bypass provides a four-lane divided carriageway and includes an upgrade of the Cecil Avenue/Old Northern Road intersection and approaches.
The Eastern Ring Road allows completion of a key component of the Master Plan for the Castle Hill CBD to address, amongst other things, the critical pedestrian safety issues and arterial traffic flow problems in the Town Centre.
Some key objectives of the Eastern Ring Road Project include:
- Improve local traffic access and flow along Old Northern Road in either direction through the shopping centre by developing a bypass ring road
- Improve pedestrian safety within the shopping centre by minimising through traffic and creating more of a pedestrian friendly environment can be established along the current Old Northern Road corridor
- Provide traffic flow conditions for a better coordinated bus interchange
- Provide better access facilities for other forms of transport (bicycles, wheelchairs, etc)
- Provide better access and flow conditions to any future development in the Terminus Street carpark site
- Take steps for additional recognition of the conservation of heritage buildings
- Provide a well-designed streetscape and tree lined boulevard that reflects the landscape of Castle Hill and its surrounding districts.
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Project Information
The Eastern Ring Road, in conjunction with the existing Western Ring Road (Pennant Street to McMullen Avenue) combines to provide an alternative dual lane divided carriageway for north-south flowing traffic around the Castle Hill Town Centre.
The main components of the Eastern Ring Road involved:
- Widening of Old Northern Road from Benaara Gardens to Cecil Avenue;
- Widening and reconstruction of intersection of Old Northern Road and Cecil Avenue;
- Widening and realignment of Cecil Avenue and Terminus Street intersection;
- Reconstruction of the Old Northern Road and Terminus Street intersections;
- Provision of an access link to the new bus interchange along Old Northern Road; and
- Provision of improved access to the Terminus Street car park.
Traffic management works associated with the project included substantial expansion of the traffic signals at the Old Northern Road and Cecil Avenue intersection and the Terminus Street and Crane Road intersection, along with new traffic signals at the Terminus Street car park.
In addition, the proposed works involved boulevard street scaping, improved street lighting and significant property and public utility adjustments.
The RTA provided part funding of the works and has agreed to commit $9m towards the project.
Council was committed to maintaining a safe working environment and minimising disruptions and inconvenience to residents and businesses during the construction period, keeping the community advised of the changing traffic arrangements.
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FAQs
Why is the Eastern Ring Road needed?
Almost 40,000 vehicles use this section of Old Northern Road each day. There is currently limited capacity for the existing road network to cater for the volumes of traffic, including trucks and buses, experienced in the area. The upgrade and diversion of Old Northern Road is needed for the following reasons:
Road accident history: With the development of the Piazza restaurant area, a significant pedestrian desire line has occurred across Old Northern Road. When combined with other attractions in the Town Centre, a number of serious pedestrian incidents have highlighted the need to change the priority of traffic movement along the old main road.
Road condition: The existing alignment pavement is narrow and in poor condition. It does not provide for effective utilisation of the public transport system.
Road capacity: The existing Old Northern Road is congested, particularly at the intersection with Cecil Avenue and requires additional lanes to provide an improved service.
Traffic Growth: Existing traffic levels are expected to increase by substantially by 2010 due to increased commercial and retail activity. There is limited capacity for the existing road network to cater for the increasing volumes of passenger and service vehicle traffic.
Economic and Population Growth: The Castle Hill area (and the Hills region) is expected to experience significant growth. This will place additional strain on the already congested road network.
Amenity and Visual Quality: The existing Old Northern Road and surrounding road network is characterised by poor visual quality and amenity for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians and requires landscaping and other improvements.
Interaction with Public Transport System: The current road configuration is not conducive to efficient bus set down and pick up movements or bus flow patterns. The existing road configuration does not allow for expansion of bus services in the future.
Future Planning: The ability to create opportunities to improve the Castle Hill Town Centre will be assisted by removing through traffic.
How would the Eastern Ring Road meet these needs?
In addition to providing a four lane divided carriageway from Benaara Gardens to Brisbane Road, the Eastern Ring Road proposal would:
- Improve safety and travel time by providing more efficient intersection facilities, road geometry and traffic carrying capacity
- Separate through-traffic from local traffic thereby reducing vehicle domination through the heart of the Castle Hill Town Centre
- Provide boulevard style landscaping and additional street lighting to improve the overall amenity of the area
- Provide for future bus connections to the existing and proposed public transport network.
What would be the main Environmental Impacts?
Beneficial effects of the Proposal would be:
Social Context:
- Improved road safety for all road users Improved road safety for all road users
- Reduced traffic congestion in the Castle Hill Town Centre
- Improved level of service and capacity of each carriageway
- Separation of local traffic and trough traffic
- Improved internal traffic circulation within the Castle Hill Town Centre
- Improved access to the Terminus Street carpark
- Improved access for emergency vehicles and public transport vehicles
- The provision of additional footpaths and an on-road cyclist provision
- Reduced noise levels in the Castle Hill Town Centre precinct and adjacent to the Eastern Ring Road through design features such as Open Graded Asphalt.
Biophysical Context:
- Improved local air quality by minimising vehicle idle times.
Economic Context:
- Improved travel times
- Improved accessibility to the Castle Hill CBD and shopping precinct
- Assist with facilitating redevelopment of the commercial area east of the current Old Northern Road corridor.
Built Context:
- Improved visual amenity through urban design treatments such as divided carriageways and landscaping.
Like any project of this significance, there will be some short and long term impacts including:
- The need to carry out property adjustment to the residential and commercial properties adjacent to the works
- Dismantling and cataloguing of a heritage item (Kentwell Cottage)
- Loss of on-street parking on Terminus Street
- Changes to the access arrangements to the Terminus Street carpark with some loss of parking spaces
- Changes to access arrangements to some properties resulting in longer driving distance for some local trips
- Traffic delays for during the construction period by slowing and altering traffic arrangements to permit works to be carried out
- Potential risks to construction workers and other road users with the maintenance of traffic movement through the construction site
- Construction noise impacts
- Cumulative delays to travel times during construction
- The need to review street names and property numbers within Terminus Street and Cecil Avenue.
How are the Environmental Impacts Assessed?
A Review of Environmental Factors (REF) has been prepared to accompany the design plans. The REF is a document which identifies and evaluates the impacts of an activity (undertaken under Part 5 of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act, 1979) to decide if the impacts are likely to significantly affect the environment. If the impacts are not considered to be significant, then an Environmental Impact Statement is not required and therefore the project does not require third-party approval. The REF will document and recommend environmental management strategies to avoid or minimise anticipated impacts.
The Review of Environmental Factors was subsequently approved by the RTA on 24 July 2007.
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Photography Gallery
Construction Photo Gallery 2007 - 2008
Construction Photo Gallery 2009 - Completion
Plans and Reports
Burton Contractors Eastern Ring Road Project Management Plan Summary - 167 KB- Eastern RingRoad Review of Environmental Factors Summary - 3,026 KB - Note: Full appendices are available by contacting Council's Projects Manager John Harrison on ph: 9843 0206 or via email: jharrison@bhsc.nsw.gov.au
- RTA Decision Report Approved Review of Environmental Factors Eastern RingRoad - 223 KB
- Eastern RingRoad Aerial 6 September 07 including Western RingRoad - 2,290 KB
- Engineering Plans 602103 G01-G03 and L01-L02 - 1,559 KB
- Eastern RingRoad Carpark - 679 KB
- Landscape Plans
- Burton Construction Communications Flowchart - 33 KB
Newsletters and Updates
- Community Liaison Group Meeting Notes and Presentations
- Castle Hill Ring Road Newsletters and Project Updates
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