Transportation Planning Casebook/Parramatta Road

Summary
Parramatta Road connects the Sydney Central Business District (CBD) and Parramatta, spanning 23 kilometers. As the oldest highway in Australia, its history dates back more than 200 years. In the pre-colonial era, the route was mapped over an ancient path tread by people of the Era and Drug Nations for countless generations. Over the following decades, this route experienced various stages of development, decline, and resurgence. However, the surrounding community has criticized the route for its continuing deterioration, including:


 * Severe Congestion: Speeds are less than 20 km/h for more than 8 hours per day.
 * Noise and Environmental Concerns: Lack of green space, rundown buildings along the road, and noise pollution.
 * Management Issues: The route is managed by ten councils, which makes coordination difficult.

Vehicles
Currently there are around 2.8 million trips on an average weekday to, from, and within the Parramatta Road corridor with speeds less than 20kmph in the peak direction for more than eight hours per day. In March 2020 Transport for NSW updated the traffic lights on Parramatta Road for better sequencing to help the east/west traffic flow and to reduce the congestion caused by north/south movement. However, signaling priority for east/west movement causes vehicles to wait multiple cycles to cross Parramatta Road. Other updates include removing car parking, shortening bus lanes, and changing road space. Despite these changes the road cannot have free flowing movement because of the level of demand.

Cyclists and Pedestrians
Currently there aren’t any bike paths on the road, bicyclists are forced to share road space with automobiles, causing most cyclists use the footpath- obstructing pedestrian movement. Pedestrian movement is also limited by the lack of median strips and sparse pedestrian crossings. Pedestrians also have long wait times due to east/west priority and are forced to be near fast moving and noisy traffic.

Although the footpaths are well maintained there is little greenery and the surface which contributes to the urban heat island effect. The surfaces also repel water and when faced with heavy precipitation causing localized flooding and overflowing sewers.

These limitations on the sidewalk cause limited pedestrian usage causing limited activity for businesses on the road.

Public Transport
Narrow bus lanes do run between Petersham-Leichhardt and Broadway-Railway Square but they are usually blocked by turning traffic and parked cars. The average bus speed in the corridor is 14km/h (well below best practice of 25-30km/h) with the 10km journey into the Sydney CBD from North Burwood taking on average over 40 minutes.

Urban Transformation Strategy
Released in November 2016, the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy is the NSW Government’s 30-year plan to drive and inform land use planning and development decisions as well as long-term infrastructure delivery programs in the Parramatta Road Corridor.

The Strategy is supported by an Implementation Tool Kit – four documents used by a range of stakeholders including State and local government. The Strategy and Implementation Tool Kit is given statutory weight through a section 117 Ministerial Direction (Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979). It requires planning authorities, including local councils, to consider the Strategy and Implementation Tool Kit when assessing planning proposals, and ensures the renewal of the Corridor is aligned with infrastructure timing, staging, and funding.

The Guidelines is one of four documents that form the Parramatta Road Corridor Implementation Tool Kit. The Implementation Tool Kit comprises:

1. Implementation Plan 2016 – 2023

2. Planning and Design Guidelines

3. Infrastructure Schedule

4. Urban Amenity Improvement Plan

The Guidelines have been formed by supporting documents, including:

1.     Sydney CBD to Parramatta Strategic Transport Plan (Transport NSW, 2015)

2.     Parramatta Road Corridor Social Infrastructure Analysis Report Volumes 1 and 2 (September, 2015)

3.     Parramatta Road Corridor Precinct Transport Report (September, 2015)

4.     Parramatta Road Corridor Fine Grain Study (September, 2015)

5.     Parramatta Road Corridor Sustainability Implementation Plan and Report (September, 2015)

6.     Parramatta Road Corridor Economic Analysis Report (September, 2015)

The Guidelines provide future controls in local environmental planning and development principles for land within the corridor when rezoning proposal are being considered while not superseding current development controls until the Corridor is rezoned, and DCPs are updated. The Guidelines do not reproduce the requirements of other State policies. If there is any inconsistency between: the Guidelines and the Strategy, the Strategy will prevail.

Transport Planning Principles for Transformation
These are the identified issues for the corridor that are needed to facilitate future development and aim to create a liveable urban environment:

1.     Improve north-south connectivity across Parramatta Road for all road users

2.     Improve street network permeability across the Corridor, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists.

3.     Improve the quality of public transport, walking and cycling networks, access and connectivity to and within Precincts and Frame Areas

4.     Support an improved urban environment with areas designated for greater levels of street activity.

5.     Facilitate local access needs for new development to support the needs of residents and businesses.

6.     Encourage travel behaviour change to discourage car use and support more sustainable travel choices.

Public Transport
Integrated and coordinated planning of the transport network is complex but necessary for the Corridor’s long-term sustainability. A connected Parramatta Road Corridor public transport network – comprising of train, light rail, bus and ferry links in a single system, accessed by walking or by bicycle – provides options to travel to many destinations easily. Easy interchange between modes and services is critical, requiring attractive service frequencies, a supportive ticketing system and simple transfer arrangements.

Future Developments
The Parramatta Road Urban Transformation Program (PRUTP) is the integrated, cross-agency project established by the NSW Government in 2013 to explore, capture and deliver on opportunities for urban transformation along the Corridor, resulting in part from the WestConnex Motorway, and in line with A Plan for Growing Sydney. The PRUTP incorporates:

The approach to public transport planning for the Precincts assumes the implementation of public transport infrastructure that does not currently exist. The Parramatta Light Rail will be over 20 kilometres long, providing reliable public transport to link residential, employment, cultural and education precincts. High frequency services, seven days a week from early in the morning to late night will connect to the wider rail network, bus, ferry, walking and cycling links. The preferred network will include:
 * An Urban Transformation Strategy for the future growth and development of the Parramatta Road Corridor.


 * a core spine linking Precincts within Greater Parramatta including Westmead health precinct, Parramatta CBD and Camellia
 * the replacement of the existing heavy rail service between Camellia and Carlingford with a more frequent light rail service
 * a light rail service through the Camellia renewal area, Sydney Olympic Park and connecting to Strathfield.


 * The Parramatta Road Corridor Fine Grain Study (September 2016) provides a detailed analysis into the heritage items and conservation areas located within the Precincts and the Frame Areas along the Corridor. It identifies the key elements of the existing built form which are significant from a heritage perspective, including consideration of character and fine grain, and innovative ways to celebrate heritage along the Corridor through adaptive re-use opportunities and integration with adjacent new development. The Fine Grain Study is intended to be read closely in conjunction with Planning and Design Guidelines


 * Sydney’s Bus Future includes Parramatta Road as one of Sydney’s key growth corridors to investigate for rapid bus or light rail. The Government has reinforced this position with a condition of consent for the WestConnex M4 East project requiring ‘at least two lanes of Parramatta Road, from Burwood Road to Haberfield, to be solely dedicated for the use of public transport unless an alternative public transport route that provides an improved public transport outcome is approved.’ Transport for NSW is committed to delivering an on-street rapid transit system to support the shared vision for the growth of the Parramatta Road Corridor and cater for future demand in the eastern section of the Corridor, and to reinforce higher-order north-south bus routes between major centres such as Macquarie Park, Burwood and Hurstville. TfNSW is investigating a rapid transit solution that has the capacity, integrated with the heavy rail network and Inner West Light Rail services, to accommodate additional demand over the short to medium term.

The PRUTP incorporates three key deliverables:


 * 1)      an Urban Transformation Strategy for the future growth and development of the Parramatta Road Corridor - set out in the document known as the Parramatta Road Urban Transformation Strategy
 * 2)      a transport infrastructure program for the Corridor – set out in the document known as the Sydney CBD to Parramatta Strategic Transport Plan
 * 3)     a $198 million program of local urban amenity improvement works to deliver tangible public domain improvements to the Corridor aligned with its staged redevelopment – set out in the document known as the Parramatta Road Urban Amenity Improvement Plan.

The Urban Amenity Improvement Program (UAIP) is one of the key government funding initiatives to be delivered under the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Program. The UAIP is a $198 million investment program for local amenity works along the Corridor, including streetscape and public domain improvements, walking and active transport infrastructure, and open space and urban plazas. The UAIP aims to accelerate urban renewal and development activity by delivering precinct-based improvements that have the potential to spur a higher level of new housing and commercial development. The UAIP could be rolled out from 2016/17 to 2022/23 and will be the first major component of the broader Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Program. Decisions on phasing should take into account heritage, low-density areas, environmental overlays, efficient infrastructure rollout and market considerations.

WestConnex provides an opportunity to transform Parramatta Road. This new infrastructure will change traffic volumes in some areas and, in particular, provide an alternative route for trucks and heavy vehicles. This will free up road space for better public transport, improve amenity along Parramatta Road, and encourage walking and cycling. Planning for the transformation of the Parramatta Road Corridor must be done in consideration of the staged delivery of the WestConnex Motorway and respond to the changed conditions along the Corridor. By 2031 a completed WestConnex is expected to remove 4,600 trucks and 20,000 cars per day from Parramatta Road between Concord and Camperdown. Parramatta Road will remain a toll free route for those who choose not to use WestConnex.

WestConnex Motorway Project
The proposed 33 km WestConnex Motorway project is to improve existing services on Paramatta Road corridor by widening existing roads and building new underground tunnels to ease congestion on the existing M4 motorway and result significant changes of traffic mode on parts of Parramatta Road. The WestConnex project is planned to remove about 4,600 trucks and 20,000 cars per day from Parramatta Road between Concord and Camperdown by 2031. WestConnex has three phases involved with Paramatta Road corridor: M4 Widening, M4 East and M4/M5 Link. The WestConnex project also accompanies with urban renewal project alongside Paramatta Road corridor to redevelop and provide sustainable, affordable, good quality medium to high density new residential housing which integrates with good public transport infrastructure. The urban amenity improvement to improve and enhance living environment alongside Paramatta Road corridor is also an important component of WestConnex, which includes tree planting and improved landscaping, redesigning and improving street furniture and signage, new footpaths and cycle paths, reducing clutter by moving cabling to underground, as well as any kinds of road improvement works.

Proposed Guide Electric Vehicle
The Inner West and City of Canada Bay Councils have entrusted consultants Bodhi Alliance Pty Ltd and EDAB Consulting Pty Ltd to release the Parramatta Road Public Transport Opportunities Study to investigate the potential benefits of centre running public transport on Parramatta Road. The study recommends building a Guided Electric Transit (GET) system on the centre of Parramatta Road after comparison of several possible options such as BRT, light rail and metrorail. Guided Electric Transit is a newly developed public transport technology which relies on the cameras of optically guided system to identify the pathway lane markings and steer the carriages. The similar technology is now already adopted in the lane keeping assist system of new cars. Similar to light rail system, GET system is zero-emission environmentally friendly public transport system and can provide far higher carriage capacity than BRT system. However, the construction cost of one GET system is only half of one light rail system, and operation cost is even only half of one BRT system. A GET system can be also quickly installed due to almost no requirement of extra infrastructures. Inner West and City of Canada Bay councils is now asking NSW State government to prepare a feasibility study in consultation with other councils along the Paramatta Road.

Sydney Metro West Project
Sydney Metro West is a new 24 km metro line project with confirmed stations at Westmead, Parramatta, Silverwater, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays, Pyrmont and Hunter Street in the Sydney CBD. The major objective of Sydney Metro West is to provide a new underground railway system to connect Greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD to fulfill and support employment growth and housing supply of this two CBDs and the new communities along the line. The line from Westmead to Five Dock station of Sydney Metro West is majorly parallel to Parramatta Road corridor. The construction of Sydney Metro West project started in 2020 and proposed to be completed in 2030.

Discussion Questions

 * 1) Why WestConnex abandoned the initial proposal of developing the Parramatta road, but building a new pair of tunnels parallel to Parramatta Road instead.
 * 2) What measures can be taken to relieve the congestion on Parramatta Road?
 * 3) Do you think that having all these stakeholders involved is inhibiting Parramatta Roads development?
 * 4) Is simply expanding and widening existing road networks or building new networks the only effective approaches to universally deal with any traffic issues?
 * 5) How urban amenity affect the long-term development of a community?

Additional Readings
NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan. NSW Government (2012).

This document represents the NSW State Government’s overarching strategy for Sydney’s transport future and recognises the importance of the Parramatta Road corridor as the main connection between the Sydney CBD and Western Sydney.

URL: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/documents/2017/nsw-transport-masterplan-final.pdf

Parramatta Road Public Transport Opportunities Study. Inner West & City of Canada Bay Councils (2017).

This study report was undertaken for the Inner West Council and City of Canada Bay to identify the various constraints, benefits and opportunities of providing a new dedicated enhanced public transport system along Parramatta Road between Sydney CBD and Strathfield

URL: https://www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/808/IWC-Parramatta-Road-PT-Opp-STUDY.pdf.aspx