Woy Woy Rd set to re-open
Woy Woy Rd is on schedule to re-open to two-way traffic next Saturday, August 22, following night roadworks last week.
Woy Woy Rd was closed to traffic in both directions "for essential night-time work" between August 10 and 15.
Gosford Council closed the roadway, near Bulls Hill, from 8pm to 4.30am each night to carry out stabilisation works.
"During current stabilisation works, it was identified that a 20 metre section of road required a deeper and wider excavation to ensure the foundation is secure," council's director of city services Mr Stephen Glen said.
The required minor works involved cutting a 20-metre trench along the roadway and then filling it with concrete to stabilise the road.
Mr Glen said the road closure and works took place at night to minimise inconvenience to motorists.
Signage was erected throughout the five-night road closure to provide advance warning to motorists and local residents.
Meanwhile, Gosford Council has retrospectively approved emergency arrangements taken along Woy Woy Rd, at Bulls Hill, to address the road's collapse.
Following recommendations from its local traffic committee, council endorsed a one-way southbound traffic direction, 25 kilometre per hour speed limit, five tonne vehicle mass limit, and the prohibition of pedestrian, cyclist and non-vehicular traffic.
The council endorsed action taken to "advertise and provide displays on main roads in relation to road closures on Blackwall Rd and the Central Coast Hwy to be maintained until all repair work has been carried out."
A staff report stated: "Woy Woy Rd was closed form Horsfield Rd to Woy Woy Creek Bridge on April 24, after a section of the road embankment at Bulls Hill became unstable.
"Council officers were alerted to cracks in the road and arrived on scene within minutes, blocking the road before a section subsided one hour later.
"Woy Woy Rd was reopened to one-way traffic flow southbound (towards Woy Woy) on
May 1.
"The RTA's traffic and safety manager Central Coast advised council of the RTA's approval to the above restrictions by email on May 6."
Council agenda TR.08.059, 5 Aug 2008
Press release, 5 Aug 2008
Lisa-Maree Schell, Gosford Council