Lane Cove Tunnel

Australian motorway
motorway logo=Lane Cove Tunnel logo.png motorway= Lane Cove Tunnel
length-km= 3.6
length-mi= 2
direction= West-East
start=
destinations=
end=
opening-date= June 2004
completion-date= 25 March 2007
junctions= "'
motorway owner= Connector Motorways
motorway operator= Transfield Services (Australia) Pty Ltd

The Lane Cove Tunnel is a AU$1.1 billion, 3.6km twin tunnel tollway in Sydney, Australia, connecting the M2 Motorway at North Ryde with the Gore Hill Freeway at Artarmon. It forms part of Sydney Metroad 2 and the 110 km Sydney Orbital Network. Connector Motorways is the owner and manager of the Lane Cove Tunnel and Falcon Street Gateway and will operate the tunnel until 2037. In 2008 tolls for the Lane Cove Tunnel were $2.62 for passenger vehicles and $5.24 for heavy vehicles, and are adjusted in line with the consumer price index. [cite web
url=http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/index.cfm?s=ADBCF265-10A3-DC21-41D0C1345A457AFE
title=Connector Motorways - Toll Prices
publisher=www.connectormotorways.com.au
accessdate=2008-05-06]

History

A joint venture between Thiess and John Holland was awarded the $1.1 billion contract by Connector Motorways to design and construct the tunnel. Previously, motorists had to drive along Epping Road through the suburb of Lane Cove, for the few kilometres between the two freeway sections.

In the early hours of November 2, 2005 the roof area of a ventilation tunnel for the project collapsed. The roof collapsecaused the road above the area to subside,cite web
url=http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/C9E17E73-6847-469B-BC10-A4024ED9EFE2/0/lane_cove_tunnel_construction_site_investigation_report_4821.pdf
title=Lane Cove Tunnel Construction Site Investigation: Report
date=March 27 2006
publisher=www.workcover.nsw.gov.au
accessdate=2008-05-06] and damage a three storey building at 11-13 Longueville Road. [cite web
url=http://www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/Your%20Council/Lane%20Coves%20Future/Have%20your%20Say/LaneCoveTunnelProject.htm
title=Lane Cove Tunnel Project
publisher=www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au
accessdate=2008-05-06] The collapse caused a 10 metre by 10 metre crater to appear near the Pacific Highway's southbound exit ramp in Lane Cove, with forty seven people evacuated from the building. Emergency crews pumped 1000 cubic metres of concrete into the hole to try to stop the housing block from collapsing into it. [cite web
url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/11/02/1130823240833.html?from=rss
title=Commuter chaos to go on after tunnel collapse - National - smh.com.au
publisher=smh.com.au
accessdate=2008-05-06] An investigation by Workcover NSW found that the collapse was caused by geological conditions at the site, the large span width of the tunnel, and inadequacy of roof support. The proximity of the excavations to the surface resulted in the property damage.

The tunnel was opened by four workers, representing the 9,000 that worked on the Lane Cove Tunnel, Falcon Street Gateway and the widened Gore Hill Freeway Project on Sunday, March 25, 2007, two months ahead of schedule. The tunnel opened with a one-month toll-free period (as occurred with the Westlink M7).

Alternate routes

Before the opening of the tunnel, motorists had to drive along Epping Road through the suburb of Lane Cove, for the few kilometres between the two freeway sections. Studies by the tunnel operator shown that the Lane Cove Tunnel cuts travel times by up to 17 minutes and saves motorists over $4 a trip. [ [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/index.cfm?s=68D2B471-3048-1075-630C1806A9FE7050&mrid=12762553-8385-5F2E-DCB7127F57BAFE70 Connector Motorways - Connector Motorways Home Page ] ]

With the completion of the surface road changes in March 2008, the existing Epping Road will have 24 hour bus lanes to reduce travel times for east and west bound bus services, a new bus interchange, a shared cyclist and pedestrian path and other measures to improve public transport and local traffic in in the corridor, [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/files/Info_Sheet__Epping_Road.pdf] while guiding traffic towards using the new tolled tunnel instead of the untolled surface road.

Falcon Street Gateway

The "Falcon Street Gateway" is a set of two north facing ramps on the Warringah Freeway providing access to and from Military Road. The toll costs [ [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/index.cfm?s=ADBCF265-10A3-DC21-41D0C1345A457AFE Connector Motorways - Toll Prices ] ] $1.32 for passenger vehicles and $2.62 for heavy vehicles (southbound and northbound). Connector Motorways [ [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au Connector Motorways - Connector Motorways Home Page ] ] promotes that by using the new ramps, up to 19 sets of traffic lights can be avoided on the Pacific Highway. [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/files/FSG%20%20-%20Not%20For%20You.pdf] The Falcon Street Gateway is part of the larger project, including widening of the Gore Hill Freeway to improve traffic and provide greater connectivity to the lower North Shore, so the tolls collected at the Falcon Street Gateway fund also the expansion of the Gore Hill Freeway.

Exits and Interchanges

Controversy

Air quality

A report by CSIRO Deputy Chief of Air Science, Dr Peter Manins, concluded the ambient air quality modelling undertaken for Lane Cove Tunnel is 'best practice'. [ [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/index.cfm?s=68D2B471-3048-1075-630C1806A9FE7050&mrid=EB7CBC3A-D7C1-8F57-FE8A13D0FEEE2358 Connector Motorways - Connector Motorways Home Page ] ] The air quality modelling shows that the Lane Cove Tunnel will comfortably meet the air quality requirements set by the Planning Minister's Conditions of Approval. Dr Manins also said most of the air quality modelling results are in fact likely to 'over estimate emission and pollution levels'. [ [http://www.csiro.au/people/ps14r.html Dr Peter Manins: examining our Living Atmosphere (Resume) ] ]

Ambient air quality is monitored at four monitoring stations nearby the tunnel's ventilation stacks. The monitoring results are published in real time on the operator's website.

The air quality readings published for particulate matter (PM10) are 24 hour averages as required by the Planning Minister's Conditions of Approval for the tunnel. Some commentators are concerned that averaging the readings over 24 hours offsets exceedances of the 50uG goal which may occur during peak periods with lows which typically occur after midnight; effectively disguising short term exceedances which may occur during peak periods.

2007 State election

The Labor government has been accused of interfering in the tunnel project to increase its re-election chances in the March 2007 election. The tunnel's expected late-2006 opening was pushed back to "January or February", closer to the poll date. [Cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/tunnel-launch-branded-as-an-opportunistic-election-ploy/2006/12/16/1166162373978.html |publisher=Sun-Herald |title=Tunnel launch branded as an opportunistic election ploy |date=2006-12-17 |accessdate=2007-01-28] This timeframe was missed and the opening was announced to be March 25, the day after the election.

In December 2006, it was announced that surface road changes would be delayed by five months, deferring them until after the state and federal elections. The delay, which will likely cut into tunnel revenues, was agreed to by the operators at a cost to taxpayers of $25 million. [Cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/iemmas-25m-election-bribe/2006/12/08/1165081157205.html |publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald |title=Iemma's $25m election bribe |date=2006-12-08 |accessdate=2007-01-28] [Cite web |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,20893591-1702,00.html |publisher=News.com.au |title=Government pays tunnel operator $25m |date=2006-12-08 |accessdate=2007-01-28]

The "Sydney Morning Herald" described the payment as a "bribe" and a "political rort". According to a "Herald" editorial, "The use of public funds to compensate Connector Motorways for delays to road changes around the tunnel is ... as cynical a piece of political jobbery as Sydney has seen in many a long year." [Cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/editorial/public-money-down-the-tunnel/2006/12/10/1165685549927.html |publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald |work=Editorial |title=Public money down the tunnel |date=2006-12-11 |accessdate=2007-01-28]

=Changes to Epping Road [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/index.cfm?s=CAA6633E-3048-1075-63AF7C78202708AB&faq_cat=7D3E30D3-A50B-1000-138610ABEE82A21D] =

Changes made to Epping Road and associated roads included [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/index.cfm?s=CAA6633E-3048-1075-63AF7C78202708AB&faq_cat=7D3E30D3-A50B-1000-138610ABEE82A21D] :

(a) A bus interchange completed in March 2008 on the corner of Longueville Road and Parklands Avenue at Lane Cove.

(b) A new pedestrian overbridge across Longueville Road [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_mjp4W_4XU] providing access to the bus interchange and a link it to Lane Cove village.

(c) A new cycleway and pedestrian path [http://www.bikenorth.org.au/webnews.php] between Mowbray Road and Pacific Highway to join the completed cycleway between Mowbray and Wicks Road, North Ryde, and along the Gore Hill Freeway between Pacific Highway and Naremburn.

(d) As over 30 per cent of all travel on Epping Road is by public transport, bus-only lanes have been implemented [http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news/Epping-Road-buses.pdf] .

Some parts of Epping Road [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/index.cfm?s=CAA6633E-3048-1075-63AF7C78202708AB&faq_cat=7D3E30D3-A50B-1000-138610ABEE82A21D] and Longueville Road required widening to provide the dedicated bus lanes and cycle path.

Epping Road eastbound [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/index.cfm?s=EDC17CC8-EB5A-126B-51EF14D8ED69BFAA] - Between Mowbray Road west and Longueville Road [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au/index.cfm?s=EDC17CC8-EB5A-126B-51EF14D8ED69BFAA] , Lane Cove, has one general traffic lane and one bus lane eastbound.

Epping Road westbound - between Longueville Road and Centennial Avenue and between Sam Johnson Way and Mowbray Road West [http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/constructionmaintenance/majorconstructionprojectssydney/lanecovetunnel/maps/list2.html] , has two general traffic lanes and one bus lane; between Centennial Avenue and Sam Johnson Way has one general traffic lane and one bus lane.

Right turn lanes have been reinstated for westbound traffic at Parklands Avenue and Centennial Avenue Lane Cove intersection. Street lighting has been upgraded. As the final construction activity, Epping Road between Mowbray Road and Pacific Highway has been resurfaced with new asphalt and new line marking.

These changes were considered in the 2001 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and are part of the Planning Minister's 2003 approval [http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/constructionmaintenance/majorconstructionprojectssydney/lanecovetunnel/approval_conditions.html] . They have been supported by a more recent Parliamentary Inquiry [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/14842526706930f6ca2570de001f5c6a/162a7e8c1c07f531ca2571d300070643/$FILE/LCT%20Final%20compiled%20report%2017%20August.pdf] .

The extensive community consultation [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/14842526706930f6ca2570de001f5c6a/162a7e8c1c07f531ca2571d300070643/$FILE/LCT%20Final%20compiled%20report%2017%20August.pdf] was undertaken. A major component of this work is reconnecting the local community – reinstating right hand lanes, adding pedestrian crossings and making improvements to public transport infrastructure.

ee also

*Freeways in Australia
*Freeways in Sydney

References

* [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21158855-1702,00.html Premier want new tunnel opened] Retrieved on 2007-02-02
*
*
* [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21274132-1702,00.html?from=public_rss Tunnel to open a day after state poll] Retrieved on 2007-02-24
* [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21274769-1702,00.html?from=public_rss Sydney tunnel opening date 'coincidence'] Retrieved on 2007-02-24
* [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21532577-29277,00.html Lane Cove Tunnel a success, operators say] "from news.com.au" on April 10, 2007.
* [http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,10166,21468648-462,00.html?from=public_rss ABN AMRO buys into Lane Cove tunnel] "from news.com.au" March 29, 2007.
* [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21446343-1702,00.html?from=public_rss Few hiccups as new tunnel opens] "from news.com.au" March 26, 2007.
* [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21446206-29277,00.html?from=public_rss Sydney's Lane Cove Tunnel faces test] "from news.com.au" March 26, 2007.
* [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21442760-1702,00.html?from=public_rss $1.1bn Sydney tunnel opens] "from news.com.au" March 25, 2007.
* [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21426788-1242,00.html?from=public_rss Children at Lane Cove Tunnel protest] "from news.com.au" March 22, 2007.
* [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21446292-2,00.html?from=public_rss Tunnel passes morning test] "from news.com.au" March 26, 2007.
* [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21623225-5007133,00.html?from=public_rss National probe into traffic tunnel health risks] "news.com.au" April 27, 2007.
* [http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,10166,21619471-462,00.html?from=public_rss Toll-free period for Lane Cove Tunnel ends] "news.com.au" April 27, 2007.

External links

Official:
* [http://www.connectormotorways.com.au Connector Motorways]
* [http://www.transfieldservices.com Transfield Services]
* [http://www.transurban.com.au Transurban Limited]

Community groups:
* [http://www.madas.net.au Mums and Dads Against Stacks]
* [http://www.lctag.com/ Lane Cove Tunnel Action Group]
* [http://www.tunnelboycott.com/ Lane Cove Tunnel Speeding Fine Fiasco - 2007]