Submission to Department of Planning and Environment stating

objection to proposed road corridor at 175 – 177 Garfield Road West

Marsden Park Objection:

I, Rosa Dessmann as part owners with Max Dessmann and Grace Foti, collectively co - owners of 175 – 177

Garfield Road West Marsden Park being lots: 21-22 – DP456752, 1 - 4 – DP135928, 3,5 – 9 & 12-15 DP1899

object to the proposed re- alignment of Garfield road west incorporating our property:

Contents

Previous Mapping page

Previous mapping displayed in 2014-2015………………………………………………………………………………………………….1

2014 – 2015 Marsden Park Flyer…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1

Safety

Safety concerns…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2

Concern curve still retained in direction of school………………………………………………………………………………………3

Curve issues………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3

Curve accident history and associated risks retaining curve

History of fatal and non-fatal accidents on curve fronting our property and school…………………………………….3

Avoidance of risk retaining originally proposed 2014 – 2015 corridor…………………………………………………………7

Previously displayed Department of Planning 2014 – 2015 alignment description………………………………………8

Retention of heritage home: 180 Garfield Road West, Riverstone………………………………………………………………8

Related Media / reports

Report by centre for accident research and road safety, Queensland and Queensland University

of technology: assessing crash risks on curves………………………………………………………………………………………….8

Related Media Articles: Dangerous School Zones………………………………………………………………………………………9

Related Media Articles: Health impacts on children – multi lane roads adjoining schools

and surrounding properties……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9

Adverse Impacts on land generally

Impacts on adjoining properties to school…………………………………………………………………………………………………10

Adverse effect of proposed corridor on impacted land generally……………………………………………………………….10

Noise impact…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….11

Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12

Addendum

Extent of proposed corridor affectation– 90 %..............................................................................................13

Previously displayed 2014 – 2015 department of planning corridor………………………………………………………….14

RMS diagram of affectation………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15

Detailed description of previously proposed alignment by department of planning 2014 – 2015………………16

2014 - 2015 Proposal by Department of Planning & Environment :

The originally proposed alignment as displayed in 2014 – 2015 by the then Department of Planning and

environment made far more sense in terms of safety and amenity.

• Back in 2015, we attended a workshop held by the department of planning and environment (as known

then) on their invitation held at Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club:

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Safety Concerns:

• At this workshop / meeting, the below originally proposed alignment was displayed by the then

Department of planning and environment in response to alignment provided decades earlier:

• 2014 displayed original proposal was for the road to be as indicated on above sketch creating a straighter

alignment and access for school and adjoining land users with a separate access road – a far safer option

– opportunity still exists for this to be implemented as per previous exhibition avoiding curve direction to

school and surrounding residences

• This was to circumvent the unsafe curve that currently exists as per below mapping:

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• When the property was purchased by us, there was no indication in the sale contract, specifically the

149, that there was any intention by the then RTA to acquire any part of our property for road widening

• In fact speaking to neighbouring properties, it was understood that the road widening to eliminate the

curve would be across road from our property, as per initial draft (previous images) by the department of

planning and environment as displayed back in 2014 – 2015 and decades previously

• Why has this changed??

Curve still in direction of school :

• Why has the safer option of a straighter alignment been altered to an option that retains a curve and

directs traffic towards a school and through our property?? ( see below):

Current proposal still has alignment with curve in direction of school and through our property – curve is retained

with eventual 6 lanes of traffic ( 3 each way ) – why??

Curve issues:

• Safety issue – proposed corridor still has a pronounced curve similar to existing with potential safety issues

• The curve being through our property also fronts Richard Johnson Anglican school and still exists, and

still is in direction of school and through our property heading towards Richmond Road

• Curve still in direction of school leading up from the cemetery towards Richmond road

• Planning for this road in future allows for 3 lanes each way – posing great risk to adjoining school due to

retention of a curve - Eventual road to be 3 lanes each way – more danger for school pupils due to traffic

volume close to school grounds due to curve direction and inevitable increased speed limit and

surrounding properties

• Curve leading school has potential for speeding cars to veer into school leading to potential for death /

injury to school inhabitants

• Why would a curve still be retained when there is an alternative straighter alignment ( already previously

proposed by Department of planning and environment ( back in 2014 – 2015) and decades earlier

History of fatal and non fatal accidents on curve fronting our property and school:

• This curve has had a history of fatal and non fatal accidents over the years ( next pages)

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• Retention of the curve retains risk of accidents as per below data ( source smarl.com.au & Transport for

NSW) there has been a number of accidents associated with the existing curve:

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So why is alignment still curved?? – does not make sense.

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Currently proposed alignment – still curved with added scope for accidents as the curve will eventually be 3 lanes

each way leading to the school:

• Now being being changed to alternative curve in direction of school – why has this been changed? –

previously road was more safely directed away from school

• Original proposal circumvented this - original proposal was for the road to be as indicated on attached

sketch creating a straighter alignment and access for school and adjoining land users with a separate access

road – a far safer option – opportunity still exists for this to be implemented as per previous exhibition

• Original proposal was for the road to be as indicated on above sketch and also previous records stating that

road was to be as per original exhibition

Avoidance of risk retaining originally proposed 2014 – 2015 Department of Planning corridor :

• The above can be avoided by retaining originally proposed corridor with straighter alignment (below):

Straighter originally proposed alignment directing dangerous curve away from school and surrounding

properties .7

Previous alignment Department of Planning 2014 - 2015 alignment description :

As per previous exhibition:

Garfield Road west ( 5 ) is diverted to create a straighter corridor eliminating risk to school ( 1) and

surrounding residences, and reducing number of accidents / fatalities which mainly occur on curves.

The older curve of Garfield road west is converted into a culvert ( 3 ) which gives safe access to school &

adjoining streets / properties ( 2, 6 , 7) along with heritage home being able to be retained ( 4 ).

Retention of heritage home: 180 Garfield Road West, Riverstone

• Above exhibition retains and protects existing heritage house

Report by centre for accident research and road safety, queensland and Queensland University of

technology: See also below link and attached PDF document:

http://acrs.org.au/files/arsrpe/RS060010.pdf

and excerpt:

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Related Media Articles:- Dangerous School Zones:

• See below excerpt from SMH 10/12/17 by Pallavi Singhal titled “The most dangerous school zones in NSW”:

https://www.smh.com.au/education/the-most-dangerous-school-zones-in-nsw-20171205-gzytgx.html

A total of 13 children between the ages of 5 and 16 were killed on NSW roads in 2016 and 863 were injured, with 267

suffering serious injuries and another 317 suffering moderate injuries, according to the NSW Centre for Road Safety.

Between December 2014 and 2017, 15 children were seriously injured in active school zones, which reduce the speed

limit near schools to 40km/h from 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm.

• Re- iterating that the original proposal circumvented this - original proposal was for the road to be as

indicated on above sketch creating a straighter alignment and access for school and adjoining land users

with a separate access road – a far safer option – opportunity still exists for this to be implemented as per

previous exhibition avoiding situations as per above article

Related Media Articles:- Health impacts on children – multi lane roads adjoining schools and

surrounding properties :

• Eventual 6 lane road aligned closer to school could have health impacts on children and surrounding

properties - See below report:

Title: The health impacts of local traffic pollution on primary school age children

Authors:

Peter Rickwood (corresponding author) City Futures Research Centre University of New South Wales Phone: +61 2

9385 9881 Email: peter.rickwood@unsw.edu.au

Dr David Knight The Canberra Hospital, Canberra, ACT

Suggested running head: Health impacts of local traffic pollution on primary school children

Below link to report:

https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/12700/1/2009005553OK.pdf

• Below Excerpts from attached report:

“This study examines the effect of local traffic pollution on the health of primary school age children

in Sydney. The health effects of urban air pollution generally, and traffic pollution specifically,

have been the subject of many studies (Kunzli et al., 2000; Brunekreef and Holgate, 2002).”

“It is, however, well known that children are more seriously affected by air pollution than

adults, and so this group in particular has been the subject of many studies. Most child-specific

studies have focused on residential location. This study looks at the impact of traffic pollution at

school on student health”

“Also worth noting is that because pollution declines exponentially with distance from the road, and

we estimate pollutant exposure levels only for a single point at each school, we underestimate the

exposure of some school-children (those in buildings closer to the road than the school centroid)

and overestimate it for others. Because pollution declines exponentially with distance, the

underestimation can be significant”

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Adverse effect of proposed corridor on impacted land generally :

• Original proposal was for the road to be as indicated (on below & attached sketch) and also previous

records stating that road was to be as per original exhibition to be in a position away from residences /

existing curve / school ( see below attached sketch )

• Under the current proposal, over 90% of our property will be taken by current road widening proposal, this

property being the only property along garfield Road West to have that percentage taken away for road

widening – whilst the curve is still retained???: - does not make sense.

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• When the property was purchased by us, there was no indication in the sale contract, specifically the

149, that there was any intention by the then RTA to acquire any part of our property for road widening

• In fact speaking to neighbouring properties, it was understood that the road widening to eliminate the

curve would be across road from our property, as per initial draft ( above image) by the department of

planning and environment as displayed back in 2014 – 2015

• original proposal would have prevented this hardship as road went through larger properties with far less

impact on development potential and noise / safety concerns – far greater adverse effect on 6000m2 ( 1 ¼

acres as opposed to originally directing through properties on 32000 m2 (8 acres with less impact on value

of allotment this size)

Noise impact:

• The noise impact will have adverse effects on school and properties effected by currently displayed option

• Interestingly, noise tests were undertaken 4 years ago (2014) on our now effected property to evaluate the

effect of noise from Garfield road in its current state in an effort to direct noise away from our property

and adjoining properties on Garfield road west

• ( see below images and consent form granted) :

1.

1. - Noise monitoring equipment for Garfield road prior to first draft – note - noise will get closer to school in

currently displayed alignment option.

2. Permission consent authority ( below) for measuring of road noise granted by us back in 2014 –

subsequent road widening after this measurement proposal back then allowed for noise therefore

directing road away from our property and school

2.

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• Post this testing, original proposal was then to re- direct road away from our property – this has now

changed- why?

• Now this noise will increase as the alignment is now having a greater impact on effected properties / school

– seems to be contradictory

• property was purchased with no indication of currently proposed acquirement for road widening / re –

direction – was indicated to be across road on larger acreage allotment

• New proposal has inevitable greater adverse impact on smaller land owners

• loss in value due to encumbrance on smaller lots leading to hardship

• On top of corridor acquisition, also further service road easement impacting property

Summary:

The original proposal proposed by The Department of Planning and environment in 2014 - 15 and decades prior

must be retained as the road direction was for a far straighter alignment. Noise impacts on the school would be

far less, with accompanying concerns on health and safety as there remains a curve leading to the school which has

the potential for catastrophic outcome.

The road is also taking a large portion ( over ¾) of our allotment with accompanying adverse economic outcomes.

This effect does not solve the problem of the curve in the road, rather retains it with amplified effects of safety risk

and noise to adjoining school and adjoining properties – this does not make sense.

This road should be left in its original proposed configuration ( as per originally proposed alignment in 2014 and

decades prior ) on the other side of Garfield road, as all those owners of those properties were aware decades

earlier that the alignment would affect their properties when they purchased. Retention of safety, amenity and

heritage can all be addressed with the original alignment. These allotments on the other side of the original

proposal aforementioned are larger and allow both for a straighter alignment and less adverse impact on larger

land owners.

Signed by me Rosa Dessmann:

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As per previous exhibition, (5) Garfield Road west is diverted to create a straighter corridor eliminating risk

to school ( 1) and reducing number of accidents / fatalities which mainly occur on curves.

The older curve of Garfield road west is converted into a culvert ( 3 ) which gives safe access to school &

adjoining streets / properties ( 2, 6 , 7) along with heritage home being able to be retained ( 4 ).

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