Community consultation - Batemans Bay Bridge replacement project

Before finalising a preferred option, Roads and Maritime coordinated a workshop to bring together the expertise and advice from key stakeholders and community representatives to clarify the purpose of the project and agree to the project’s key objectives. The workshop reviewed three strategic design options against criteria agreed the participants. Participants recommended the preferred option that was later displayed to the community in August 2017. Please view the Value Management Workshop report (PDF, 1.94Mb) that looks at the purpose and outcome of the consultation.

Roads and Maritime Services asked for community feedback on the preferred option between Friday 4 August and Friday 1 September 2017. The consultation included three drop in sessions attended by more than 240 community members, a Preferred Option Survey on the Roads and Maritime website completed by 253 community members stakeholder meetings held with river users, local council, businesses and transport operators, project information delivered to all residential properties in the north Eurobodalla area and displayed at advertised locations, in local newspapers and through digital and social media.

More than 8 in 10 participants agreed that design quality, an improved Princes and Kings Highway intersection and an improved foreshore space are important issues.

63 per cent agree the existing bridge should be tributed once it is removed.

Please view our preferred option summary – community update (PDF, 283Kb) for more information.

In November 2017, Roads and Maritime Services asked for feedback on the environmental assessment and concept design for the Batemans Bay Bridge replacement. The consultation included three drop in sessions attended by more than 250 community members, meetings with stakeholder groups including river users, local council, businesses and transport operators, a 3D animation and virtual reality of the proposed design, project information delivered to all residential properties in the north Eurobodalla area and displayed at advertised locations, in local newspapers and through digital and social media. We received a total of 80 Submissions.

Following the display of the concept design, we reviewed and considered all submissions and published the Submissions Report in May 2018. The report acknowledges and responds to each item or issue raised. Please view a copy of our submissions Report summary – community update (PDF, 811Kb).

We formally acknowledged in the report those items and issues that influenced the design of the project and - if design elements weren’t changed based on the feedback provided - the report explains why. The consultation process led to several improvements to the design including:

• Improved connectivity to local roads. The proposed connection of Old Punt Road and Wharf Road was a result of community feedback and further traffic studies.
• Stairs either side of the bridge to allow immediate access to the foreshore. This is in addition to the ramps proposed in the concept design that will provide access for those with restricted mobility.
• Upgrading the North Street and Princes Highway intersection to allow southbound heavy vehicles to turn from the Princes Highway into North Street without crossing onto the opposite side of North Street.
• A commitment to continue to consult with Council, stakeholders and the community on the foreshore area, including improved facilities for river users, community spaces and parking. This commitment resulted in the establishment of the foreshore advisory committee in September. We will also display the foreshore design to the community in early 2019, following the consultation process with committee members
• Additional slip lanes on the Kings and Princes Highway. Two additional left turn lanes, one onto the Princes Highway and one onto the Kings Highway and activation of traffic signals when long queues are detected are also proposed to be built. These features were a result of community feedback and further traffic studies.

The detailed design was announced in December 2018.

A foreshore advisory committee was established in mid 2018, following the announcement of John Holland as the successful design and construction contract. View the committee’s summary report (PDF, 260Kb) to see how the committee influenced the design of the foreshore area.

The committee advised that the vision for the foreshore should be a natural landscape for the northern foreshore and a more urban southern foreshore that provides better connections to the river and town centre

In June 2019, Roads and Maritime Services asked for wider community feedback on the foreshore design. The consultation included three drop in sessions, an interactive map and survey, project information delivered to all residential properties in the north Eurobodalla area and displayed at advertised locations, in local newspapers and through digital and social media.