No money for Woy Woy Rd upgrade

Funding for upgrades to Woy Woy Rd is unlikely to cover works "north of Bulls Hill", Gosford Council has revealed.

It has also ruled out the possibility of a bypass of The Bays through Brisbane Waters National Park.

"Funding for the Rawson Rd Woy Woy Level Crossing Replacement will not be sufficient to undertake anything other than the level crossing replacement works, although the configuration of the current works at the bottom of Bulls Hill would allow the bypass to occur in the future," Gosford Council's manager of infrastructure planning Mr Ed Sukesh said.

"The extremely expensive works required through the National Park would need to be funded under a separate program should it be possible to obtain access to the National Park," he said.

Mr Sukesh has denied that traffic congestion and disruption will occur during the upgrade of Woy Woy Rd due to work on the West Gosford intersection.

He said concern over congestion and disruption issues with the possible works at Woy Woy and the Central Coast Highway was unfounded.

He was responding to claims from the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce that work on the two major upgrades could leave the Peninsula isolated.

"Both RMS and Council are aware of the works and several parts of each project would be scheduled to ensure that this does not occur," he said.

"A considerable amount of the Woy Woy Rd Level Crossing Replacement works occur clear of the existing roadway and will not require major traffic diversion.

"Current funding is available for the level crossing and associated ancillary works.

"Preliminary indications are that the current funding will most likely be insufficient for works in Woy Woy Rd north of Bulls Hill.

"Our view on the bypass proposal is similar to the Chamber with regard to the benefits this could provide but unfortunately that is not the project currently being developed.

Media Statement, 6 Jul 2012

Ed Sukesh, Gosford Council