Location

Tuggerah, New South Wales

Client

Transport for NSW

Sector

Transport

Roads

Duration

2016 – 2017

Contract value

$50 – 75 million

Back to projects

Pacific Highway / Wyong Road Intersection Upgrade

Fast facts

55,000 vpd

vehicles per day travelling through the intersection

86 m

4-span concrete bridge over Main Northern Rail Line

10 no.

35 m super T girders installed amidst high voltage railway power lines

380 m

of reinforced earth walls up to 8 metres in height

320 m

long cast in-situ concrete retaining wall

315,000 manhours

completed with zero (0) LTI’s

2 km

of new shared cycleway and footpath

8 months

of nightworks

73 weeks

ahead of contract completion

About

Wyong Road is the major route linking the Pacific Motorway (Sydney to Newcastle Freeway) with Wyong, Tuggerah, The Entrance and surrounding coastal suburbs. The roundabout at the intersection of Pacific Highway and Wyong Road at Tuggerah has a history of crashes and traffic is heavily congested during peaking hours with more than 55,000 vehicles travelling through the intersection each day.

The main works involve the conversion of the existing two-lane roundabout to a signalised intersection and associated approach works. A major feature of the contract is the construction of a new four span bridge over the Main Northern Railway line to accommodate eastbound traffic, as well as associated activities within the rail corridor including strengthening and protection works for the existing rail overbridge.

Key innovations include:

Design of the pier formwork to allow construction of the pier whilst the adjacent train line was live. By using clever formwork design principles, the pier was constructed in 2 rail possession (over 3 months) well ahead of the allocated 5 rail possessions (1.5 years) allowed in the contract
The project was located adjacent to a wetland area, known for its acid sulphate soils and water charged ground. Seymour Whyte proposed a raised footing with Controlled Modulus Columns (CMC) to significantly reduce the amount of excavation for the footing and the amount of acid sulphate soil impacted. This innovation saving TfNSW significant money with the reduced disposal requirements of excavated ASS material.

“Considering the complexity and very high risk nature of the project their team should be commended for delivering the project twelve months ahead of the Contractual Completion Date whilst achieving excellent safety, quality and environmental outcomes”