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Picton Town Centre Transport Master Plan

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The Project

Picton town centre currently experiences traffic congestion in a few key locations, which is forecast to worsen in future years. The location of the town, impacted by the surrounding topography and existing transport networks results in a large proportion of through traffic travelling via the town centre. This through traffic is mainly travelling from Tahmoor, Thirlmere and smaller towns and villages to the south of Picton towards the Hume Motorway and Wollongong in the east. Due to a weight restriction on Prince Street, which provides the only other east-west connection, a high volume of heavy vehicles make up the traffic travelling through Picton, affecting pedestrian amenity, safety and the general attractiveness of the town centre.

Council is continuing to advocate for a Picton bypass, however construction is likely to be many years away and we need to manage traffic congestion in Picton in the meantime.

 

Key Details

Suburb Picton
Categories Major Project, Adopted Master Plan
Status In Progress
Start Date August 2019
End Date December 2026
Picton Town Centre Transport Master Plan

Proposed Upgrades

Proposed upgrades include items such as improving pedestrian and cycling pathways, ensuring sight distance and road safety measures, signage and more. View the Masterplan and Analysis & Design reports below for more information.

Transport Master Plan 2026 Traffic Analysis & Strategic Design Report

Updates

Community engagement was carried out in April 2019 to let the community know about the planned changes in the Draft Picton Town Centre Transport Plan. 

The Picton Town Centre Transport Master Plan 2026 was adopted by Council in August 2019 and a number of recommendations have now already been implemented, such as:

  • The relocation of the pedestrian crossing on Argyle Street which was constructed in mid-2020, funded by Transport for NSW (TfNSW);
  • Implementation of a ‘No Right Turn’ on Menangle St at Argyle St from 7 April 2021 with a town centre bypass route via Colden St and Margaret St; and
  • Safety upgrades at Argyle St / Barkers Lodge Rd intersection in March-April 2021.

COUNCIL MEETINGS

For a detailed overview, please see the below extracts of the Ordinary Council Meetings:

19 August 2019 - Picton Town Centre Transport Master Plan 2026

16 September 2019 - Picton Town Centre Transport Plan 2026 - Proposed Signalisation of Menangle/Prince Streets intersection

On 16 December 2019, Council resolved to "pursue the detailed design for the signalisation of the Prince and Menangle Streets intersection".

On 15 February 2022, a presentation on the Picton Town Centre Transport Master Plan was conducted at Council's Community Forum. Residents were able to attend the forum in-person or stream online, as well as register to speak.

Watch the Community Forum Presentation here.  

The Picton Town Centre Transport Master Plan - Community Forum Presentation is also available to download.

Council resolved to test the findings of the Picton Town Centre Transport Plan 2026, particularly in regard to the impact of COVID on traffic volumes, changes to development forecasts, as well as recent developments by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) with progressing options for a Picton Bypass.

This was achieved through workshops with the community, new traffic count data, revised modelling and extensive consultation with TfNSW.

The updated modelling identifies that the Menangle Street and Prince Street intersection will perform at a satisfactory level in 2026. As such, it was resolved that the upgrade of the intersection be placed on hold, with the view of the Picton Bypass being implemented in the medium term.

The modelling also reaffirms that Picton Town Centre will come under increasing traffic congestion in future years, leading to poor road safety, pedestrian connectivity and negative amenity outcomes.

If the Picton Bypass is not implemented in the medium term, additional measures will be required to allow a number of key intersections, including Menangle Street and Prince Street, to continue to function safely.

Irrespective of the timing of the Picton Bypass, the modelling suggests that the intersection of Argyle Street with Barkers Lodge Road will reach poor levels of service prior to 2036, and will require a form of intervention or alleviation.

The plan will be formally be reviewed in 2026.

Council Reports

For a detailed overview, please see the below extracts of the Ordinary Council Meetings:

28 November 2023 - Picton Town Centre Transport Master Plan 2026

What's Next?

We recently briefed Council on the latest findings of the Picton Town Centre traffic modelling.  As a result, at the upcoming November Council meeting, Council will consider a recommendation to update the Picton Town Centre Transport Masterplan 2026 and potentially pause implementation of elements of the Masterplan in the short to medium term.

The report serves to summarise the challenges of Picton traffic, the process taken to date and the results of the recent work.

While the new traffic modelling confirms that Picton Town Centre will come under increasing traffic congestion pressure in future years, consistent with 2018 findings and numerous prior studies, the current modelling shows that sites such as the Menangle Street and Prince Street intersection will still perform at a satisfactory level in 2026.

As a result of this modelling, the recommendation is that the upgrade of the Prince St intersections be placed on hold with an expectation of the Picton Bypass being implemented in the medium term.

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