Project Description

The M1 Pacific Motorway is a critical link in the National Transport Network and is one of the busiest transport corridors in Australia. The 12 kilometre section between Wyong Road, Tuggerah and the Doyalson Link Road is proposed to be upgraded to cater for the increase in traffic forecast as a result of predicted growth in the Central Coast, Hunter Region and North Coast.

Key features of the project included:

• Widening motorway to provide three lanes in each direction between Wyong Road at Tuggerah and the Doyalson Link Road and therefor increasing traffic capacity.
• Provide safety and capacity improvements to key motorway interchanges at Warnervale and Doyalson.
• Full reconstruction of the nine kilometre rigid pavement section between Wyong River and the Doyalson interchange to reduce maintenance, improve the road surface and provide a smoother ride for motorists.

Cusack Project Services & Hillard Civil were engaged in Project Management & Design development roles respectively. The scope of services provided included review of previous strategic design options and development of a preferred Concept Design, with consideration of updated traffic forecast data. Working closely with traffic modellers additional Strategic Design options were developed. Mark Raven provided cost estimating and constructability advice throughout the options assessment process.  The introduction of a free flow ‘G-Loop’ at the Warnervale Interchange (Sparks Road) greatly improved traffic efficiency, separating major apposing signalised movements. Reconfiguration of the Doyalson Link Road off-ramp and Sparks Road Northbound onramp was introduced to eliminate vehicle weave manoeuvre brought about by the close proximity of the two interchanges. The updated layout also made provision for the possibility of future North facing ramps at the Doyalson Link Road Interchange.

The investigation and design carried out by Cusack Project Services & Hillard Civil resulted in a major update to the project and was adopted as the RMS preferred Concept Design.

Services Provided

• Project Management
• Communications including community & stakeholder engagement
• Geometric Road Design (Strategic and Concept)
• Construction Staging (heavily trafficked environment)
• Volumetric Analysis.

Innovation

Level of Detail – Utilising Bentley MX software along with major customisation developed in-house by Hillard Civil specifically for RMS projects, our team efficiently investigated Strategic Design options developed in a level of detail usually reserved for the Concept Design phase. This enabled a higher level of confidence in decision making and cost estimating.

User friendly GIS – Our team utilised Google Earth’s .kmz format to compile a database of relevant project information. This commonly includes existing ground information, cadastral information, design options, GIS overlay & traffic projections and provides an easily accessed and user friendly GIS platform for quickly conveying information to the RMS project team.