M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace

The M1 Project is a key project in the development of NSW and linking of the North Coast with Sydney by road, I believe the design is well laid out and deals with some detailed and complex issues.
I make comment in regards the recently announced Freight Bypass Route (Also a key project for the continued growth and amenity of NSW) for Newcastle and note that the plans do not show any allowance for the turnouts and connections of the rail link if and when it is done. I believe it would be prudent for designers to take into consideration now these works to allow this freight route to be built in the future with little to no impact on the M1 with the provision of some additional overpass structures to allow for the rail to pass under when it is built.

As an aside it should be considered that there is possibility for a proportion of the construction materials required for the M1 construction on the southern side of the Hunter River to be delivered by rail, this would include road base and aggregate as well as general fill if provision is made for a turnout that will be part of the rail heavy rail bypass is built on the footprint earlier allowing trains to deliver and unload materials to stockpile and then incorporation into the works. In order for this to be a possibility conceptual ideas and processes need to be taken into by the relevant Government Authorities now. This would reduce dramatically the impact of truck congestion on the local road network during the construction period.

Thankyou for your consideration.

Looks good.

Pull the finger out and just get it done. We're sick and tired of the traffic. This should have been done 20 years ago .

I support the project

Cant wait for this to happen, so sick of traffic jams and accidents along the heatherbrea to hexham portion, the intersection at heatherbrea is ridiculous sometimes

There should be direct access onto (and off) the new M1 - both north and southbound - at Masonite Road. This would make it much easier for Port Stephens residents to get quickly onto (and off) the M1 quickly and via the shortest possible route.

Under the current proposal, if you are driving from Sydney to Port Stephens, you only have two options:
- Exit at the Tomago interchange and double-back in the wrong direction before heading on a longer than necessary route to Port Stephens via Tomago Rd; or
- Exit at the Tomago interchange and access Masonite Road via the Pacific Highway - and only after driving (unnecessarily) through the town of Heatherbrae.
Both these options are unnecessarily slow and "clunky". It would be far quicker if direct on and off-ramps were available at Masonite Road.

Similar comments apply to:
- Southbound travellers on the M1 headed for Port Stephens;
- Travellers from Port Stephens looking to head northbound on the M1; and
- Travellers from Port Stephens looking to head southbound on the M1
Would you please provide on and off-ramps at Masonite Rd.

This extension will take so much traffic off the Hexam bridge, especially at holiday season,
It will also improve the amount of accidents that are on that road.

I fully support this project. I have lived in Raymond Terrace for the past 20 years, originally from Western Sydney and have definitely noticed a big change in traffic coming through Beresfield to Heatherbrae. This project is that far overdue it is not funny, Millions has been spent bypassing all the towns north of Raymond Terrace over the last number of years, but by my calculations and road experience. A rough estimate would say if in all the cars and trucks that leave Sydney Northbound past Central Coast. 90% will go through Beresfield to Heatherbrae and the number drops off further north you go, so potentially it could be 25 to 30% that make it to Qld. So why has everything been bypassed north of Raymond Terrace and it is still waiting.
On a daily basis the congestion thru Tomago is banked up to Hexham bridge and any holiday time it is worse and the same Northbound it gets banked up from M1 to
Hexham bridge. This has been noticed in the last couple years because people have been using Google maps to look at ways to avoid Beresfield to Raymond Terrace, So there is noticeably a huge diversion through Thornton, creating a larger than normal back up of traffic along Raymond Terrace Road, Millers Forest. Which in turn also affects the roads through Thornton which are already quite busy with local traffic.
The brochure I received about this project says that it could save 7 to 9 minutes off the trip, I do not know what drugs the person that wrote it has, but in REAL terms it would save up to an hour in Peak times as I personally have sat in build up for 50 mins going to Newcastle in the past.
I am quite sure that majority of locals would support the project as it would make it so much easier to get to Newcastle and Sydney with a flowing traffic rather than a traffic congested stop and start.

The construction of the M1 Pacific Motorway is a highly damaging project which will have significant detrimental impact to surrounding ecosystems and native habitat, long-ranging damage to waterways, permanent and irreversible destruction to native endangered flora and fauna, continual contribution to climate change, degradation of air quality, exacerbation of poor health and socioeconomic outcomes for surrounding communities and further desecration of sites of Aboriginal significance. I wholeheartedly oppose this project. The risks far outweigh any benefit for this project. Convenience and revenue at what cost? Find a better solution.

The proposed extension seeks to completely bypass a large number of businesses on the Pacific Highway (in the industrial area/Hank St). These businesses have been mainstays of the community for many, many years, and to bypass them will effectively seek to put their operations into question. To confirm, this is not a threat, rather a realistic reaction to our store being removed from a a major arterial route and the anticipated loss of profitability that stores will suffer as a result of the proposed extension.

The bypass makes no attempt to reconnect these stores with the new road. Therefore, there will be a significant reduction in vehicular traffic. Should these stores become unprofitable, the unfortunate byproduct would be a loss of jobs to members in the community, potentially numbered in the thousands. These businesses have provided jobs and serviced the community for many years, and to see them bypassed and disregarded is disappointing. The industrial zone will almost certainly cease to be a hub of activity and retail spending, with travelers through the area unlikely to seek out this precinct.

7-Eleven is seeking for the bypass to either be scrapped, or at a minimum made connected to the existing businesses on the Pacific Highway to ensure that they have connectivity to what will be the major arterial route between Raymond Terrace and Tomago. Another option is to improve traffic flow through the existing Pacific Highway - has this been considered/costed?

We trust this will be strongly considered in the planning and evaluation of the project, notably the long term impacts to the large number of businesses in the existing Heatherbrae precinct. 7-Eleven are eager to engage with the project team and discuss solutions and options to how the aforementioned impacts can be reduced/avoided. Please do not hesitate to contact us on 0472 863 358 to do so.

Thank you.

this will drastically improve traffic and safety, especially during holiday season.

please make this project happen and fix the holiday grid lock and the Sunday afternoon traffic jams

Firstly, I support the extension of the M1 from Black Hill to Heatherbrae. While I am not often impacted by the congestion at the end of the M1, I am frequently impacted by heavy traffic across the Hexham bridge, or on the Tarro to Hexham road corridor, and when heavy traffic through Heatherbrae prevents access to Heatherbrae business precinct.

I would like the project to take the following into consideration:

(1) Protection of Future Shared Pathway on the old Pipeline Corridor: I understand the project is already taking into consideration co-existence with the Richmond Vale Rail Trail - thankyou. The proposed route across Hexham Swamp makes some use of the old Hunter Water Pipeline Corridor from Shortland to the old South Maitland Railway line. The pipeline corridor itself continues beyond the junction with the old South Maitland Railway line westwards to cross the path of the planned M1 extension - as the pipeline routes towards it's destination at the pump station at Tarro. More recently, the pipeline north of Tarro has been moved underground, revealing future opportunities to extend the Richmond Vale Rail Trail onwards towards Duckenfield and Maitland.

REQUEST: that the M1 extension design makes allowance to protect a corridor under the roadway to allow the future extension and construction of this shared pathway. (We would seek the same for the proposed Lower Hunter Freight Corridor). Preserving a sufficiently wide corridor under the currently proposed Viaduct design at it's Southern end would be satisfactory.

(2) Inclusion of separated shared pathways to provide safe crossing of the Hunter River and New England Highway.

REQUEST: that the Viaduct be designed to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists with a safe separated shared pathway, so that it can be used by everyone from seasoned cyclists to small children. At the North, the shared pathway should be integrated into the roadside plans for pathway connectivity to Tomago and Heatherbrae. An access Stairway/Rampway just north of the new England Highway crossing for pedestrian access to Tarro Railway Station would also be of benefit. The Southern access should connect to the corridor proposed in (1), and safely to Tarro either via the Railway Station or another grade separated crossing near the proposed Tarro Interchange.

(3) If the land underneath the Viaduct is being acquired, can the corridor be opened for public access to the Hunter River. Public Access to the banks of the Hunter River seems to be at a premium, as the land along most of its course has been sold off to private ownership, and any opportunity to open up Riverbank access to the public would be welcomed.

(4) The earthen banks on either side of the Hunter River where the Viaduct is proposed to cross are not stabilised and appear vulnerable to erosion. I would recommend that bank stabilisation nearby the proposed footings of the Viaduct form a part of this project if it has not been considered already.

Thankyou for this opportunity to contribute.


Luke Plaizier

Hello,
In regards to the recent M1 extension information at:
https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/10471
Block DP853008 shown in the attachments is owned by Muree Golf Club, Raymond Terrace. It appears the construction footprint goes into our land, however this is not reflected in Chapter 14 'Land Use and Property'.
Can you please provide relevant information relating to land access and impacts to our block.
Regards,
Jordan Jenkins

With all the documentation I read through I couldn't see any reference to the Lower Hunter Freight Corridor Rail Project and how they will be de-conflicted. I have seen however the M1 project referenced on the Lower Hunter Freight Corridor Rail Project plan as attached. Would be good to see on the M1 plans how the train line passes under the M1 and how it's affect any plans.

I support this project for it benefits to the traffic flow through the area.

I support this project based on improved traffic flow in the area.

Support

I'm completely supportive of the project.
Understanding traffic numbers drive several decisions, and the main 'flow' is NB-SB along the Pac Hwy/M1, though the Maitland-Newcastle commuter traffic has increased dramatically, the following are intended to be cost savings suggestions, but also provide additional functionality and/or continued use of the existing asset(s).
1. The New England Hwy (NEH) eastbound to M1RT northbound connection including the 4span bridge over NEH westbound appears excessive and could be removed by providing a simple direct connection from the existing Pac Mwy southbound to the M1RT northbound (see attachments 1a & 1b); NB John Renshaw Dr traffic would then turn right at the TCS and enter M1RT northbound, NEH eastbound to M1RT northbound would keep using NEH to cross existing NB bridge over Hunter River and join M1RT at the Tomago on-ramp, otherwise existing NEH/Maitland Rd adjacent railway will drop traffic numbers and be under utilised, except for Maitland-Newcastle commuters.
2. A connection from NEH SB from Maitland to Pac Mwy SB, currently via Weaklys Dr, appears to be a missed opportunity. This movement is currently possible but likely under-utilised due to still having to go through the major TCS.
With the deletion of the bridge noted above (1.), a connection from Anderson Dr to M1RT SB could be provided (see attachment 2), reducing traffic through Weaklys Dr, and therefore the John Renshaw/Weaklys Dr Intersection, it would also provide direct access to M1RT/Pac Mwy SB from Beresfield/Woodbury etc, further reducing traffic at that intersection.

The project absolutely needs to go ahead as soon as possible, and I most definitely support it. However, reading through the EIS I noticed there wasn't any consideration that trucks cause more noise pollution than cars. If you stand around the streets of Beresfield and Tarro that are closer to the highway, you'll notice that you can hear the trucks are the loudest. If you stand at Pasadena Crescent Soccer Oval you can see the trucks drive past and the considerable more noise they create. This is especially so at night. If this project goes ahead, I think every effort should be given to try and reduce the noise impacts on local residents. Not just residents living within 100 metres of the highway, but those living 300/400/500+ metres from the highway. I'm hoping moving the trucks further away from Beresfield and Tarro onto the new M1 extension will reduce this noise.

To whom it may concern

I am all for this motorway extension. I live at Medowie and the holiday traffic from the M1 motorway through to the Hexham bridge, then through to Heatherbrae and Raymond terrace is absolutely horrendous. Also the traffic going through the back streets of Thornton to Raymond terrace and Williamtown to Medowie is horrendous during the holiday traffic periods. Building this M1 extension would get rid of bottlenecks of traffic at the Hexham bridge and at the main Heatherbrae roundabout. This M1 extension would make traffic run more efficiently coming from Sydney through this area and when the traffic is returning from holidays coming through this area. Please build this extension ASAP as I am all for it and very happy that it is about to begin, residents around Medowie, Raymond terrace and other surrounding suburbs have been waiting years for this to happen. Thank you