Transport for NSW releases Thurgoona Drive consultation summary

Nearly a third of all comments provided to Transport for NSW's community consultation called for more lanes from the Hume Highway interchange to Elizabeth Mitchell Drive or, in some cases, Table Top Road.

The draft concept plan released in January aimed to improve traffic flow on and off Hume Highway, but the feedback revealed on Monday, October 9, brought up wider issues.

Albury Council put in a detailed submission, "raising concerns that the proposed design would not future-proof the interchange for upwards of 20 years".

The council requested more substantial improvements, given Thurgoona's increasing population, including that the extent of the work to the east must connect with the recent upgrade of the Thurgoona Drive and Elizabeth Mitchell Drive interchange (dual lanes in each direction).

The community consultation summary report showed 95 engaged contributors made 147 submissions on the interactive mapping platform while eight emails were received as well.

Of the 241 comments noted, 82 related to dual lanes, with other themes including active transport (52), slip lanes (48), congestion (42) and a duplicate interchange (17).

"Community input was generally positive that the intersection upgrades were being made a priority, however many had concerns with the effectiveness of the proposed design," the report noted.

The focus on Thurgoona Drive as a whole "suggests that for many road users, congestion on this section of the local road network is a significant issue and for many, this is possibly a more significant issue than the congestion at the interchange intersections".

"There is a strong belief within the community that the four-lane configuration on Thurgoona Drive east of the Hume Highway is required to address existing and future congestion issues," the report said.

"This local road issue highlights the need for Transport to collaborate with Albury City Council in developing options for the Thurgoona Drive interchange upgrade project and develop a solution which is compatible with the local road network and future traffic conditions."

Transport for NSW regional director south Sam Knight thanked everyone who provided feedback.

"There's a strong message from respondents for us to provide dual lanes on Thurgoona Drive," she said.

"The other clear theme was the desire for a separate shared path providing an east to west connection through the interchange.

"Other suggestions included the addition of extra slip and auxiliary lanes. We also heard concerns around congestion at key points on the interchange and the nearby local road network."

Transport for NSW will use the feedback to refine and develop the concept plans for the interchange and said it was committed to working with the community while developing plans for Albury's future transport network.

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