While traffic volumes on Victoria Road between Iron Cove Bridge and Anzac Bridge are expected to reduce with the opening of the new Iron Cove Link, motorists can still expect some delays in the morning peak as people get used to the new conditions. There will be new lanes and changes in traffic movements as a result of the tunnel opening.
As late as 3 March this year, the promise and the reality of the situation along Victoria Road were vastly different. The former Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport promised commute times would be slashed while Victoria Road would become a vibrant boulevard with widened footpaths for pedestrians and space for bike riders.
This is contradictory to Transport modelling which suggests traffic delays that will add an additional 5-10 minutes to journeys through Drummoyne and over the Iron Cove bridge in the AM peak.
Transport for NSW have advised that they expect it will take around six months until the network settles and motorists adapt to the new conditions.
The Minns Government is now urgently investigating short- and long-term traffic mitigation measures to maintain consistent traffic and bus flow and protect space for people walking, riding bikes and access to nearby businesses.
This will include adjusting bus lanes to prioritise their movement to improve travel times and ensuring better and quicker access to bus stops.
Ultimately, this part of the network won’t be completely integrated until the Western Harbour Tunnel is opened in 2028, with a range of short and long-term mitigation measures being carried out in the meantime to ensure that traffic flow will continue.
For bus users in the AM peak, Transport for NSW will look at streamlining capacity for services by adjusting the bus lanes to ensure better and quicker access to bus stops to improve travel time.
Additionally, Transport for NSW will begin construction on the Western Distributor Smart Motorways project.
This project, which will begin in late August, integrates variable electronic road signs to communicate real-time speed limit and lane allocation changes, as well as road incident alerts to motorists.
This will occur across 18 locations between the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Anzac Bridge to receive new or upgraded signage to improve traffic conditions in the inner west heading to the CBD over the Anzac Bridge.
Work to deliver improvements on the Western Distributor will also begin later this year with changes to the Allen Street off ramp and intersection at Harris Street.
Minister for Roads John Graham said:
“Despite seven years of promises from the previous Government that WestConnex would see traffic drastically reduced on Victoria Road, traffic modelling released by Transport for NSW indicates that this will not be the case.
“I don’t understand how the former government could have made these promises.
“We are going to see delays along Victoria Road when the Rozelle Interchange opens. This will particularly impact commuters from Western Sydney who are trying to access the city via the Anzac Bridge.
“The Minns Labor government will now work to fix this situation and ensure that we get the revitalisation of this corridor right ahead of Western Harbour Tunnel’s completion and get the right outcome that was promised for the community.
“Focusing on what people need is helping us to make better choices as we try to both plan for the future and balance the budget.
“We must ensure that cars and buses flow smoothly along Victoria Road into the Iron Cove Link and Rozelle Interchange as well as into the CBD over the Anzac Bridge.