sydney-city-centre-review-of-environmental-factors
sydney-city-centre-review-of-environmental-factors sydney-city-centre-review-of-environmental-factors
zones, loading zones, mobility parking, authorised vehicle zones, other authorised parking zones and general on-street parking). Surface drainage and utility modifications, some tree pruning and removal, and road furniture relocation would also be needed to support the proposed footpath, intersection and kerb width adjustments. For ease of reference, the proposal has been split across five precincts (refer to Figure 1-1 in Chapter 1): Precinct 1: north-west Precinct 2: retail Precinct 3: southern Precinct 4: college Precinct 5: financial. Each precinct contains one or more of the 17 work site locations (refer to Table S-1 below). The proposal is being assessed under Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (the EP&A Act). Subject to planning approval, construction is anticipated to start in the first half of 2015 and it would take up to one year to complete due to the complexities of programming the works to avoid significant impacts on the city’s traffic and transport. Traffic management controls and lane closures would be required at many of the work sites. Consequently, in order to minimise impacts on some of Sydney’s busiest roads, the majority of the construction works would need to take place outside of the Environmental Noise Management Manual (Roads and Maritime, 2001) recommended standard construction hours of 7.00am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 1.00pm on Saturdays and no works on public holidays or Sundays (termed ‘out of hours’ work). This would achieve the most efficient and shortest construction program to be achieved. Affected residents would be notified and consulted prior to out-of-hours’ work as detailed in Chapter 7. The proposal may be reviewed once 40 per cent of George Street is pedestrianised under the CBD and South East Light Rail (CSELR), to ensure the traffic capacity improvements are operating effectively and to confirm the need for any modifications. Any changes to the proposal may be subject to separate environmental assessment, determination, and community and stakeholder consultation. Need for the proposal The proposal is required to support the growing demand for access into the Sydney city centre and to improve road network functionality over the coming years, including during construction and operation of a number of projects proposed under the Access Strategy. The Access Strategy prioritises and allocates street space in the city centre for light rail, pedestrians and cyclists, private vehicles, buses, taxies, freight and service vehicles, in order to address existing competing and conflicting transport priorities and deliver an integrated transport network in the city centre. In support of the Access Strategy, a number of projects are proposed to be constructed and operated in the city centre over the coming years, including the approved CSELR and Sydney City Centre Bus Infrastructure projects and Sydney City Centre Capacity Improvement Plan Review of Environmental Factors ii
the proposed Sydney City Centre Cycleways project. Of critical relevance to this proposal, the CSELR includes the proposal to allow local property access along George Street between Bathurst and Hunter streets, and to pedestrianise this zone. To facilitate the changes proposed in the Access Strategy, traffic capacity improvements would be required on a number of roads and intersections within the city centre. Some of these locations are either already at capacity with existing traffic volumes and/or they provide an essential function in enabling the above projects (refer section 2.2). In summary, traffic capacity improvements are needed at several critical roads and intersections in the city centre in order to: Allow the city centre road network to continue to function in response to anticipated changes in traffic demands, traffic priorities and travel patterns, including during construction and operation of the Access Strategy projects Maintain the operational performance of the road network to support buses, taxies, service and freight delivery and general traffic In support of the Access Strategy principles, to clearly prioritise these roads for traffic. Proposal objectives The overall objective of the proposal is to support the growing demand for access into the Sydney city centre and to improve road network functionality over the coming years, including during construction and operation of a number of projects proposed under the Access Strategy. Supporting proposal objectives are to: Support the reallocated demand for access through improved key corridor and intersection capacity Support more efficient road usage to accommodate Sydney’s future growth demand Improve road efficiency and allow quality integrated public transport services to meet future demand Improve customer experience by improving the safety, amenity and efficiency of the road network Minimise environmental and socioeconomic impacts on Sydney city centre and on current business operations. Options considered The proposal was first identified in 2013 as a delivery initiative of the Access Strategy. The focus was to identify those city centre roads that were at or above capacity (ie pinch points) and to develop traffic efficiencies to improve road network functionality over the coming years. The proposal concept design was subsequently developed through four key stages: Stage 1, which considered the strategy of ‘doing nothing’ and ‘doing something’ Stage 2, which identified the pinch points within the city centre road network that are and/or are predicted to be at or above capacity; and clarified which roads need improvements (ie work site locations) Stage 3, which identified the required traffic capacity improvements at each work site location Stage 4, which developed feasibility design options to achieve the improvements at each location and an assessment of the options to select a preferred option. Sydney City Centre Capacity Improvement Plan Review of Environmental Factors iii
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zones, loading zones, mobility parking, authorised vehicle zones, other<br />
authorised parking zones and general on-street parking).<br />
Surface drainage and utility modifications, some tree pruning and removal, and road<br />
furniture relocation would also be needed to support the proposed footpath,<br />
intersection and kerb width adjustments.<br />
For ease <strong>of</strong> reference, the proposal has been split across five precincts (refer to<br />
Figure 1-1 in Chapter 1):<br />
Precinct 1: north-west<br />
Precinct 2: retail<br />
Precinct 3: southern<br />
Precinct 4: college<br />
Precinct 5: financial.<br />
Each precinct contains one or more <strong>of</strong> the 17 work site locations (refer to Table S-1<br />
below).<br />
The proposal is being assessed under Part 5 <strong>of</strong> the Environmental Planning and<br />
Assessment Act 1979 (the EP&A Act). Subject to planning approval, construction is<br />
anticipated to start in the first half <strong>of</strong> 2015 and it would take up to one year to<br />
complete due to the complexities <strong>of</strong> programming the works to avoid significant<br />
impacts on the <strong>city</strong>’s traffic and transport.<br />
Traffic management controls and lane closures would be required at many <strong>of</strong> the<br />
work sites. Consequently, in order to minimise impacts on some <strong>of</strong> Sydney’s busiest<br />
roads, the majority <strong>of</strong> the construction works would need to take place outside <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Environmental Noise Management Manual (Roads and Maritime, 2001)<br />
recommended standard construction hours <strong>of</strong> 7.00am to 6pm Monday to Friday,<br />
8.00am to 1.00pm on Saturdays and no works on public holidays or Sundays (termed<br />
‘out <strong>of</strong> hours’ work). This would achieve the most efficient and shortest construction<br />
program to be achieved. Affected residents would be notified and consulted prior to<br />
out-<strong>of</strong>-hours’ work as detailed in Chapter 7.<br />
The proposal may be <strong>review</strong>ed once 40 per cent <strong>of</strong> George Street is pedestrianised<br />
under the CBD and South East Light Rail (CSELR), to ensure the traffic capa<strong>city</strong><br />
improvements are operating effectively and to confirm the need for any modifications.<br />
Any changes to the proposal may be subject to separate <strong>environmental</strong> assessment,<br />
determination, and community and stakeholder consultation.<br />
Need for the proposal<br />
The proposal is required to support the growing demand for access into the Sydney<br />
<strong>city</strong> <strong>centre</strong> and to improve road network functionality over the coming years, including<br />
during construction and operation <strong>of</strong> a number <strong>of</strong> projects proposed under the<br />
Access Strategy.<br />
The Access Strategy prioritises and allocates street space in the <strong>city</strong> <strong>centre</strong> for light<br />
rail, pedestrians and cyclists, private vehicles, buses, taxies, freight and service<br />
vehicles, in order to address existing competing and conflicting transport priorities<br />
and deliver an integrated transport network in the <strong>city</strong> <strong>centre</strong>.<br />
In support <strong>of</strong> the Access Strategy, a number <strong>of</strong> projects are proposed to be<br />
constructed and operated in the <strong>city</strong> <strong>centre</strong> over the coming years, including the<br />
approved CSELR and Sydney City Centre Bus Infrastructure projects and<br />
Sydney City Centre Capa<strong>city</strong> Improvement Plan<br />
Review <strong>of</strong> Environmental Factors<br />
ii