MOD 2 - The Crescent overpass and active transport links

My husband and I live in Lilyfield, and both work in Sydney CBD. We bike to and from work 5 days a week and find the plans prioritise cars over cyclists and pedestrians. It is congested and does not alleviate traffic. I am concerned about cyclist safety with the proposed plan. Also:

- The evidence demonstrates this modification won’t solve congestion in Annandale
This overpass is only designed to address the additional traffic that will be created by WestConnex. It will not reduce the amount of traffic in Annandale but will negatively impact local residents, cyclists and pedestrians.

-An underpass would be less overbearing on the local area
The plan for an overpass should be replaced by a short tunnel under the City West Link with slot trench approaches. An underpass provides the best visual and urban outcomes and should allow the retention of the green link in a location to best connect different areas of greenspace together.

-There is now no direct pedestrian and cycling link between the Glebe foreshore and Rozelle Goods Yard
This proposal has abandoned the horseshoe pedestrian bridge but hasn’t reinstated the seamless park to park connection that was originally promised. This means that cyclists and pedestrians are forced to cross the Crescent via traffic lights.

- Needs of motorists are prioritised over pedestrians, cyclists and residents

- The government should prioritise the needs of local residents, pedestrian and cyclist access and the retention of vegetation and greenspace over the movement of cars and traffic into WestConnex.

I wish to register my objection to the proposed Crescent Overpass and active transport links Modification design for several reasons.
Firstly, the overpass is a perfect example of over engineering whose benefits appear non-existent. It is unclear as to why it is required in the first place and would be more at home in Los Angeles, rather than Annandale - both its bulk and scale are completed unsuited to what is an old heritage listed area. It also serves to further alienate Annandale from the Glebe foreshore, in what is already an obstructive and unnecessary development.
Secondly, the overpass obscures Rodney Monk's heritage mural, which is always a pleasing and indeed, reassuring reminder that I live in an area with a rich history.
Thirdly, I regularly cycle to work in Balmain using the existing horseshoe bridge, riding past the White Bay Power Station and into the lower part of Balmain. This is a relatively safe and easy ride that, until recently, also allowed easy access to the Anzac Bridge and then into the city. The proposed 'pedestrian and cycling green link', appears from the artist impressions to deposit both cyclists and pedestrians in who know where. There is no indication as to how cyclists then travel to Balmain.
Fourthly, yet again, the needs of motorists have ben given priority over the needs of cyclists, pedestrians and local residents to access greenspace, Glebe Park foreshore and disregards that this is an urban environment in which people live. Perhaps an underpass could be constructed under the City West Link, thereby meeting the needs of all of us.
Finally, this design is clearly unsited to a modern city where the challenges of climate change are going to eclipse even our current situation and the last thing we need are more incentives for people to drive. We don't drive through this area. We live here and this development and design proposal only serve further to reduce the quality of our daily lives. Please reconsider it.
Thank you.
Penny Biggins.

The plan should prioritise the needs of local residents, pedestrian and cyclist access and the retention of vegetation and green space over the movement of cars and traffic.
This overpass will not reduce the amount of traffic in and around Annandale and will have a negative impact on local residents, cyclists and pedestrians. An underpass would provide the best visual and urban outcomes.
The proposal has abandoned the horseshoe pedestrian bridge but hasn’t reinstated the seamless park to park connection that was originally promised. This means that cyclists and pedestrians will be forced wait on the roadside and to cross the wide and busy Crescent using traffic lights.

1. This project with the overpass does
Nothing to resolve the congestion in the area
2. The overpass will be an absolute isore that will destroy the foreshore pleasure due to excess traffic noise and an underpass is a much better solution due to Traffic noise and no isore of a structure.
3. There needs to be a direct connection between the Rozelle railyard and the Glebe foreshore. The horseshoe bridge needs to be reinstated. Otherwise there will be foot and cycle congestion. In light of the recent COVID pandemic we must plan for space where and when people
Are walking and cycling. It is now clear that the car is not King. We need space to move freely and safely outside. It would become rapidly dated if there was no wide open connections between outdoor areas. It would be open for criticism if this was not amended in light of the pandemic.

This submission relates specifically to the Annandale Overpass. This aspect of the project should not go ahead because -

- The evidence demonstrates this modification won’t solve congestion in Annandale.
- An underpass would be less overbearing on the local area and provide the best visual and urban outcomes.
- The community needs a direct pedestrian and cycling link between the Glebe foreshore and Rozelle Goods Yard. Seamless park to park connection is key!
- We also want to preserve the people’s mural which will be significantly obscured by this overpass.
- This project prioritises the needs of motorists over pedestrians, cyclists and residents. Our community opposes it!

As a cyclist around the Annandale/Glebe/Rozelle precinct i object to the the Crescent overpass on a number of fronts.
a) I don't belive the evidence demonstrates this modification will solve traffic congestion in Annadale - and as a cyclist this is important to me.
b) I believe an underpass would provide a better connection for the greenspaces within the project and would create less impact visually in the local area.
c) There is now no direct pedestrian and cycling link between the Glebe foreshore and Rozelle Goods Yard - cyclists and pedestrians will have to cross at the traffic lights.
I think once again Transport NSW is putting the needs of motorists ahead of pedestrians, cyclists and the community. I would prefer more focus on cycling and pedestrian pathways, along with the retention of greenspace in the area.

❌ The evidence demonstrates this modification won’t solve congestion in Annandale.
❌ An underpass would be less overbearing on the local area and provide the best visual and urban outcomes.
❌ The community needs a direct pedestrian and cycling link between the Glebe foreshore and Rozelle Goods Yard. Seamless park to park connection is key!
❌ We also want to preserve the people’s mural which will be significantly obscured by this overpass.
❌ This project prioritises the needs of motorists are prioritised over pedestrians, cyclists and residents. Our community opposes it!

❌ The evidence demonstrates this modification won’t solve congestion in Annandale.
❌ An underpass would be less overbearing on the local area and provide the best visual and urban outcomes.
❌ The community needs a direct pedestrian and cycling link between the Glebe foreshore and Rozelle Goods Yard. Seamless park to park connection is key!
❌ We also want to preserve the people’s mural which will be significantly obscured by this overpass.
❌ This project prioritises the needs of motorists are prioritised over pedestrians, cyclists and residents. Our community opposes it!

I object to this project as:
- I'm a local resident who moved here 1 year ago to be close to easy access to Glebe Park and to cycle to work.
- The evidence shows this modification won’t solve any congestion issues in Annandale.
- An underpass would be much less intrusive on the local area and provide the best visual and urban outcomes.
- Myself and my partner and all my local friends need a direct walking and cycling link between the Glebe foreshore and Rozelle Goods Yard.
Seamless park to park connection is the main point!
- We also want to preserve the beautiful comunity mural which will be majorly obscured by this overpass and take away all the local character from this lovely neighbourhood.
- This project prioritises cars which are bad for the environment over the rights of pedestrians, cyclists and residents. With COVID-19 there will be more working from home in future so less cars required on the road, and more local walking and cycling. It makes logical sense to prioritise pedestrians, cyclist and residents. Our community opposes this overpass and all of the construction works forced on us - now surrounding our whole suburb! With westconnex, harbour tunnels and there is definately no listening to our local community including our local politicians. Please provide direct active transport links and an underpass for us.

In general I like the idea of a traffic movement system that bypasses the traffic lights . However I’m concerned that the overpass does not provide safe passage for cyclists and pedestrians into Jubilee Park, and doesn’t seem to provide a solution to the daily congestion at The Crescent in Annandale. Are their alternative designs that accommodate for these issues?

My continued issue with this overall project, including this latest modification of the overpass, is it won't solve the current and future congestion in Annandale. The needs of motorists are still being prioritised over pedestrians, cyclists and residents. Before West Connex, there was not an increased amount of traffic in Annandale, particularly Johnston St. Now cars are streaming onto Johnston st and travelling though Annandale to avoid West Connex. All it does do is impact local residents, cyclists and pedestrians, plus increase noise and pollution in what was a peaceful, green suburb, with lovely vista across to the ANZAC Bridge, Harbour Bridge and city skyline. A better solution would at least be for an underpass that is less overbearing on the local area, as originally promised to residents! A short underpass or tunnel under the City West Link has less visual impact and also meets any future urban requirements. It would also allow for a green link to join the Glebe foreshore park to the other side of the City West Link, again as originally promised for a park to park connection for pedestrians and cyclists, rather than having to cross the Crescent via traffic lights.
The proposed overpass will also obstruct Rodney Monk’s heritage mural at the northern end. The people’s mural has significant local heritage value.
All these negative impacts are being driven by the exclusive focus by Transport for NSW on improved vehicle movements. The government should prioritise the needs of local residents, pedestrian and cyclist access and the retention of vegetation and greenspace over the movement of cars and traffic into WestConnex.

The flyover is vandalism of the first order and the modification dropping the greenlink is a cynical bait and switch ploy. This is our harbour foreshore TfNSW is trashing with its pointless drive to add more capacity to the road network. Letting road planners decide our strategic need for more roads we need is like putting weapons manufacturers in charge of our foreign policy. It does not serve the public interest.

In July 2016 Mike Baird didn't stand in the Rozelle Railyards and announce "We are going to construct a flyover next to a heritage park and trash our harbour foreshore." He didn't say " This will be necessary because the additional traffic we will be inducing on to the Anzac Bridge will cause the traffic to back up along the Crescent and Johnston St and make it harder for paying customers to enter the M4-M5 Link and the Western Harbour Tunnel" Nor did he say "Our Westconnex Rozelle Interchange and Westconnex M4-M5 tunnel toll roads will actually make bus journeys into the city along Victoria Rd take longer because of the extra traffic queuing to get on the Anzac Bridge".

No what he announced as he strode confidently and neoliberally into the Rozelle Railyards in the winter of 2016, accompanied by Roads Minister Duncan 'Building a road is not like buying a handbag' Gay, was this: “This will be a game-changer,” Mr Baird said. “What is currently an inaccessible eyesore will be reborn as parkland, with the potential for cycle ways, playgrounds and sporting grounds, “Up to 10 hectares of new parkland will connect Annandale and Rozelle via pedestrian and cycle links and also provide a green link between Easton Park and Bicentennial Park.”

Planning should reject the modification outright because it is an affront to the principles of good government and good planning practice. On that day Messrs Baird and Gay did not have to specifically mention the green link between Easton Park and Bicentennial Park, but they did. It was a key message given by the Premier and the Roads Minister that day. It was a key benefit touted by them in selling the dubious advantages of the Rozelle Interchange to the residents of the Inner West. In return for having a traffic sewer emptying traffic onto your streets and toxic emissions into your gardens and school yards we will give you a park ("park ready land subject to urban design") and connect it to the other park.

The green link between Easton Park and Bicentennial Park was not a subsidiary side benefit, but a central benefits used to justify the Rozelle Interchange.
It was a fundamental basis for Planning approving the EIS and it should not be discounted now because the NSW government or its contractors got the traffic modelling wrong.

Please hold government to account. You serve the people of NSW not TfNSW or Transurban. Reject the modification.

I object to this project.
it is only designed to address the additional traffic forced into the inner west from the WestCONnex.
It will negatively impact residents, cyclists& pedestrians access to the Glebe foreshore & Rozelle & pedestrian/cyclist safety has been completely ignored by forcing them to cross at lights on the Crescent.
There should have been consideration to the amenity & safety of the local residents & their children who use the foreshore, in the prioritising of motorists by this project.
Whilst the plans have reduced the height of the over pass, it is still an unsuitable addition to the local historic area and should deleted all together it is unnecessary.
this project will push more vehicular pollution into the local area and a cause ongoing health issues in the long term. As the WHO research shows air pollution is the number one killer in the world today, this project is forcing PM10 & PM2.5 particles into the local environment at the level of pedestrians, cyclists & local homes.

I object to the crescent overpass because it will seriously and negatively affect the local residents, cyclists and pedestrians. Having recently tried to have a Mother's Day bike ride from Rozelle to the Glebe foreshore, it was particularly unpleasant having to cross traffic lights at the crescent. The proposed overpass doesn't provide for improved access for pedestrians and cyclists, as previously promised. An underpass would provide a less overbearing outcome that would allow a green link between Rozelle, Annandale and Glebe. I object to the needs of motorists being prioritised ahead of residents, pedestrians and cyclists. I object to the mural along the crescent being obscured, especially on top of the adjacent local reserve being completely destroyed. I object to the destruction of the character of the area in favour of huge Westconnex roadworks that are designed for cars and not public transport. This overpass and transport links must be stopped.

Annandale does not need an overpass and locals oppose it.

The evidence demonstrates this modification won’t solve congestion in Annandale.
An underpass would be less overbearing on the local area and provide the best visual and urban outcomes.
The community needs a direct pedestrian and cycling link between the Glebe foreshore and Rozelle Goods Yard. Easy park to park connection is important
We want to preserve the people’s mural which will be significantly obscured by this overpass.
This project prioritises the needs of motorists over pedestrians, cyclists and residents. Our community opposes it!

I’m happy to see that you are once again seeking community feedback on this project. Myself and many of the other locals that I have spoken to are still extremely concerned with this new iteration of the plan to put an overpass at the Crescent in Annandale. The Inner West is an area significantly lacking in green, open space, and it’s really important that local people are still able to use the outdoor space we have available, and that cycling and walking connectivity is done well, as a priority. As such, we need to have a direct cycling and pedestrian link between Glebe foreshore and Rozelle Goods Yard. It is impractical and far more dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists to have to get across many lanes of traffic, and to have to wait at traffic lights for extended periods of time when there is an obvious alternative that we have already been able to use up until recently.

The other issue with this plan is that it does nothing to alleviate extra traffic that will be flowing into Annandale, and actually makes congestion in the local area worse. It is clear that the priority here for the designers is the flow of traffic on the motorway. It’s simply not good enough to design it in such a way that will have such a negative impact for the local community. An underpass would be much more appropriate, would look better, and would have a more minimal impact on the local area. If it costs more, then that is no excuse for choosing the cheapest option to the detriment of this beautiful area of harbour. Designs such as these should be able to attain the desired outcomes for the motorway, and still doing what’s best for the local community that it will affect. It’s so important that in these designs we can all still use these thoroughfares when cycling, walking and catching public transport, as well as driving.

Myself, my family and this community strongly opposes this plan as it stands. Please listen to us and make the appropriate changes. Do the right thing!

As someone born and raised in the peaceful family suburb, who is now raising my family here I am deeply saddened by the destruction of this and surrounding suburbs by the west connex and link roads. (And kept awake by the noise with a small baby!)
I object to the updated proposal on the following grounds:
- The overpass is lazy construction. An underpass would be less destructive and overbearing on the local surrounding and provide the best visual and urban outcomes. Also reduce the noise to the local neighbourhood. Reduce the exposure of our familes and young children to pollution. Do we need another Cahill Expressway ruining a beautiful part of Sydney?!
- The evidence and modelling demonstrates this modification WILL NOT solve the congestion in Annandale.
- We want to preserve the peoples mural which will be blocked by this. Every day catching the bus to school from the crescent I stood looking at that quirky mural wondering about those who painted it. It is a sad day when we are just willing to cover up more of Sydney history with infrastructure.
- The community needs a direct pedestrians and cycling link between Glebe foreshore and Rozelle Goods Yards. Seamless park to park connection is key!
- This project prioritises the needs of motorists over pedestrians cyclists and residents. OUR COMMUNITY OPPOSES IT!

Please think with your hearts, this is not something you would want built in your neighbourhood. Design and approve things you would be prepared to live next door to.

We need an underpass - this will have less impact on the community and environment. It is imperative that we a pedestrian and cycling link along the foreshore. As a local resident seamless park to park connection is critical. I have young and teenage children as well as myself who will use this connection regularly. The mural is an icon and must be kept. Annandale is so close to the city and having adequate services and facilities for cyclists and pedestrians is a must.

I am a yr 12 student attending Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus and live in Lilyfield. The needs of vehicles have been prioritised over that of pedestrians and cyclists who frequently use the area. I am especially, concerned with the lack of vegetation and my safety as a pedestrian and cyclist using the area daily to go to school and get into the city. By abandoning the horseshoe pedestrian bridge without accounting for seamless and safe movement, as cyclists and pedestrians, we are forced to cross the Crescent via traffic lights which is busy on a narrow footpath at the best of time now, without adding the increased foot and cycle traffic that this development will cause. The visual impact of the pedestrian horseshoe bridge is minor in comparison to the impact of the proposed road overpass and as a local resident I highly oppose the decision.

Having lived in Annandale for the past 25 years i have watched it grow and each year the roads have become more gridlocked. The area around the crescent is now ugly. The palm trees and any hint of green have been removed and the area is a giant open sore. Now to make it worse there is a proposed overpass. This will be an eyesore. An underpass would be better but it would seem that the whole priority for this area is cars. We should be discouraging use of cars and prioritising those who live in the area and want to go for walks or ride their bikes. We will become more of a 'through' traffic area with more car fumes from passing cars. I find it disappointing and stressful that my quiet suburb is being pillaged. Please rethink this project in the interests of the ones who live here.