M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace

Please see attached letter of support from Maitland City Council.

I do not support the current proposal because 1/ the roadway is very inefficient due to excessive curves. 2/ The routes would seem to be a very expensive solution to a simple problem. 3/ the needs of the motorists do not seem to have been considered because most of the daily traffic is forced into the area when other optional routes should have been developed. 4/ the future freight movements of the port and industry does not seem to have been addressed.
The major complaints about the traffic congestion in the area come from holiday bound motorists during peak holiday times. Under normal times congestion only occurs at peak traffic times or as a result of an incident that disrupts normal traffic flow. The proposed Hexham roadway upgrade should alleviate most of the congestion. A duplicate bridge upstream to carry northbound traffic and a conversion of the existing bridge to southbound traffic only should provide an adequate solution.

The project is admirable, however on review of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for M1, I haven't found that you have provided adequate wildlife corridors, protection of existing habitat and rare species food trees for the current populations of Koalas in the area. There is no specialized provision for safe passage across the highway , or appropriate fencing in areas of known koala movement habitat. I would recommend that you engage a professional Koala expert to fully explore how best to protect an endangered species. Including purchasing land parcels koalas have been known to use. Your proposal offset the destruction of 56.3 hectares of potential Koala habitat in particular Heatherbrae area(EIS chapter 9,p.57), by revegetation of swamp land, land of no developmental potential, land nowhere near existing koala activity is wrong and can lead to koala starvation, isolation, poor genetic diversity. Without mature existing food trees and habitat and safe corridors, fencing , highway crossings then koalas could easily be wiped out in major bush fires, floods and even droughts. It would be cost effective to address all of the Koala requirements when creating the extension , than to remediate later when there is public outcry over habitat and Koala loss.
1.Chapter14,page 28, EIS, image, "project land owned by Transport", next to the highway has been sited by The Australian Koala Foundation Vegetation Map2021, as 'having important supplementary koala habitat such as habitat linking areas", and should be conserved at all costs. The land has mature clusters of the threatened species food tree, Eucalyptus Parramattensis. This land is already linked on the eastern boundary to the Tilligerry State Conservation area from Raymond Terrace to Tanilba Bay, Koala colony residing.
2. The Australian Koala Foundation Habitat 2021, sites that there is a main fauna underpass on the Pacific Highway at Grahamstown Canal Bridge with connects to primary Koala habitat on the west and east side of the proposed M1extension (see included map), if two properties on either side aren't purchased and conserved, then the major link to and from Tilligerry State Conservation area will be irreplaceable. Property, 6c Elizabeth Av, Raymond Terrace, 9 8.44 hectares of rural zoning needs to be urgently purchased.
3. Primary and secondary koala habitat exist near a fauna corridor that near Heatherbrae traverses Masonite rd. (EIS, Appendix1,pp29-20). of vital importance is koala /fauna fencing, safe road crossing/passes and escape structures to prevent road kill and escape from predators.
I strongly recommend that you get specialized authorities to investigate and implement the above measures, which would not only protect the future viability and renewal of the local koala population but also the other rare flora and fauna in the area. In the future NSW could be seen as leading the way in conservation in Australia. Koala populations and habitat can produce great economic benefits to the area in the form of tourist dollars.
yours sincerely,
Jennifer Wilson

Please see attached submission from our Community Groups. Thank you.

Please find attached.

see attached

I’m 22 and pay my taxes every week. You guys probably won’t even read this but just now that this bypas you have proposed is outdated…. 2 lanes is not enough for today’s traffic let alone when I take my kids up north in a decades time!
Yous just spent over 3 years widening the M1 from the Twin servos to Sydney because 2 LANES ISNT ENOUGH ANYMORE!
The amount of entrance and exit ramps that the Bypass will have will cripple the effect of the freeway experience.
So many people will enter at Tomago and it will cause all southbound traffic to form one lane to let them merge thus crippling any chance of a flowing road. With a bridge that big there’s no way in widening it down the track, yous are building yourself into a corner.
Personally, I would probably never even drive this road given I live in Thornton and will never have to come from Sydney and go thru but the point stands.
I’m not saying that if it’s not three lanes no one will want to use it it’s just if it’s not three lines it’s not future proof!!!
PLEASE plan for the future like our predecessors did when they built the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Thankyou for your time

Hi just a submission in regards to the planning off this new section off road just wanting to know has any thought been put into place i regards to place's for truck's to stop amd have there rest breaks along this new section off road I am a wear that they can get off and go the old way and stop but I do believe there should be a parking bay somewhere a long this section off road that allows us to pull over without having to get off and go out off our way to find a safe place and stop and be within fatigue laws we run under thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope it might be a help thanks

Please find attached City of Newcastle's advice on the above project.

Newcastle Airport Pty Limited (NAPL) will be a key beneficiary of improvements in the road network promoted by this project. The extension of the M1 Pacific Motorway to Raymond Terrace project is an opportunity to create a western gateway presence to support road linkages between the Airport and the national highway, for the benefit of passengers, employees, and freight. NAPL has previously provided a comprehensive submission to Transport for New South Wales in response to the project update provided in 2020.