The Project

The project is in three stages and forms part of a larger, comprehensive suite of projects that will improve heavy vehicle safety and productivity on the NSW transport network. It will provide a heavy vehicle linkage between the coastal Princes Highway running north/south and inland highway corridors including:

• Hume Highway (main link between Sydney & Melbourne)
• Monaro Highway (linking the ACT with Gippsland area in Victoria) Federal & Barton Highways (linking the Hume Hwy at Goulburn & Yass into the ACT) Lachlan Valley Way (linking the Hume Hwy at Yass to Cowra and Central West of NSW) and Kings Highway linking into Queanbeya

A Heavy Vehicle Freight Route that is B Double capable.Three stages of the East West Link development

Stage one: Nowra to Nerriga

  

 

Stage 2: Nerriga to Tarago – SHOVEL READY

Business Case has been completed containing a detailed description of the project, the reasons why it was initiated and the outcomes that will be achieved. It has set out how the project is viable, what is the cost- benefit and how it will contribute to economic development and support for industry and the heavy vehicle transport providers. Initial estimates are $130M for the upgrade.

 

 

Stage 3: Tarago to Hume Highway at Goulburn and Tarago to Kings Highway Bungendore

Goulburn to Bungendore via Tarago is a 69 km road and is almost fit for purpose. Between Goulburn and Tarago the 38km road meets heavy vehicle standard and is in excellent condition for the proposed use – to make it “fit for purpose” only needs passing lanes. The Tarago to Bungendore corridor is 35km long and 15km of road upgrade needs to be funded. The remaining 5km of road upgrade is already approved. Lengths of this road are already B Double capable. Also proposed is an interchange from Braidwood Road onto the Hume Highway at Goulburn.

 

 

Introducing Stage Two – Shovel Ready

 

Project Rationale and Outcomes

The long-term goal of the project is the establishment of a Heavy Vehicle Freight Route from the NSW mid-South Coast to the inland national road network of the Hume Motorway, Kings Highway and the Federal/Monaro Highway. The section of road from Nerriga to Tarago requires a major upgrade to eliminate the requirement for a 15t weight limit, to improve safety and enable an alternative route for heavy vehicles across the Illawarra Escarpment. This will improve efficiency and save costs which will grow the regional and national economy and provide business with the opportunity to expand.

The bridge upgrade in 2015 over the Shoalhaven River at Oallen Ford by Goulburn Mulwaree Council has paved the way for this project. Three Councils (Queanbeyan Palerang, Goulburn Mulwaree and Shoalhaven) have come together to seek project funding by making applications under both the NSW “Fixing Country Roads” program and the Australian Government’s “Heavy Vehicle Safety Productivity Program”.

Part of the route to be upgraded between the village of Nerriga and the crossing of the Shoalhaven River at Oallen Ford is now currently limited to a 15t weight restriction and this project will eliminate this impediment. Prior to September 2015 the route was limited to 5t with the failing status of the Oallen Ford wooden bridge (1 in 2-year flood level) now replaced by a higher (1 in 20-year flood level) and more capable structure.

Value to Industry

A mix of nationally significant industries are located within the catchment of this project. These industries are across a range of sectors including:
• Agribusiness- Dairy farming (both wet & dry), beef production, growing of hay and silage for intense dairy operations, timber harvesting (both softwood & hardwood)
• Agribusiness manufacturing – abattoirs, wheat starch processing (including sugar extracts), ethanol production, animal feeds & supplements, sawmilling
• Soil enhancement products – composting
• Quarry-mining products – sands, road base materials, kaolin
• Grocery warehousing/distribution
• Building product manufacture/distribution
• Chemical manufacture
• Waste Management Facilities

Several of these industries are more forward in their support for this project as they are incurring quite high additional costs in making use of alternate routes to undertake their current task. One such industry is the Manildra Group which moves around 4,500t/week through Yass from/to Nowra.

The full extent of the livestock, hay/silage, compost is believed to be in excess of this but is undertaken by many smaller but similar farming operation, predominantly dairy and fodder farmers and as such is harder to quantify. The analysis has allowed 40,000t of combined livestock and fodder freight per annum, however at this point in the drought cycle this would be an overstatement.

The following state and regional industries have confirmed that they will transport commodities on this route based on the MR92 crossing of the escarpment on the basis that it provides a safer and more economical route into and out of Goulburn/Yass and Nowra and to regional and national markets:

• Soilco (Nowra) – will use this route instead of the current freight route from Nowra to Yass via Kangaroo Valley – creating a time saving of around 30 minutes despite the additional 30kms.
• Manildra will similarly send B-Doubles from Nowra via this route, rather than north via Mt Ousley Rd/Picton Rd, a saving of 65km and 35min
• Building products into Canberra (concrete blocks and kitchen cupboard componentry), are similarly using diversions via Picton Rd in B-Doubles and will save 20min and 30km.
• Coles/LinFox – this distribution centre out of Goulburn to the South Coast/Monaro/Riverina/ Central West finds the Illawarra escarpment at either Kangaroo Valley or Kings Highway to be inefficient and the link via Tarago/Nerriga will be used many times every day for trucks in both directions.
• Energy producers – such as Wind Farm projects (deemed as State Significant Developments by the NSW Government) require multiple feasible freight transport routes between Port Kembla and their sites in Southern NSW to allow greater flexibility and more efficient transport outcomes.

Additionally, a percentage of tourist coaches that travel between Sydney & Canberra each year will take advantage of the link across to Nowra and up the Princes Highway into Sydney given that the option will be available. The addition to the one-way trip is 67km and 60 min but provides variety to the trip and creates a frequently requested round trip or loop incorporating scenic land and seascapes.

These companies say “this is the right project- at the right time”, “ saying it will be “transformational to the region’s businesses allowing them to interact more directly and cheaply with Port Kembla and its expanding merchant shipping operations” and creating a safer, more direct freight route for their raw materials and products to further grow their businesses.”

Business Case Documentation

• Heavy Vehicle Freight Route – Nerriga to Tarago Project Management Plan –explains how the project will be implemented. It includes information on the resources that will be employed, the proposed timeline, a cost estimate and detail of the financial management, the communication strategy, approvals, monitoring of compliance and audit and performance reporting. It also outlines how the quality of the work will be managed and monitored during construction, as well as the personnel that will be responsible for quality management.
• Heavy Vehicle Freight Route – Nerriga to Tarago Procurement Management Plan – details the procurement policies that will guide the procurement activities. It also includes detail of the tender evaluation process and how compliance with the contractual requirements will be managed.
• Heavy Vehicle Freight Route – Nerriga to Tarago Risk Management Plan – outlines how risks have been identified, assessed and what appropriate mitigation or management strategies will be put in place. It contains a Risk Register.

Partnerships

Potential Partnerships Government

• TfNSW
• TfNSW
• Infrastructure NSW
• Infrastructure Australia
• SEATS

Transport/General Freight

Agriculture

Dairy

Quarrying

Mining

Manufacturing

Tourism

Key Attributes

Letters of Endorsement

In partnership with…