Completed projects - Picton Road safety improvements

The reverse curves project is the largest and most critical project of the Picton Road safety program and was completed in September 2013.

The section of Picton Road starting from Mount Keira Road moving west for 3.5 kilometres has seen a significant number of crashes concentrated around two large curves.

The treatment involved significant work to realign these two curves to 100km/hr design speed and improve safety and efficiency in this section.

The treatment is designed to meet the overall project objectives of reducing the incidence and severity of head-on and run-off-the-road crashes in this location.

Key project features:

• Realigning two curves into a 460m radius curve to 100km/hour design speed to reduce the incidence of run off the road to the right crashes.
• Installing a concrete median barrier to separate oncoming traffic to reduce the incidence of head on crashes and the severity of run off the road to the right crashes.
• Extending the existing overtaking lane from Mt Keira Road toward the reverse curves providing significantly longer overtaking opportunities for westbound traffic.
• Pavement reshaping will assist in the reduction of run-off-the-road crashes and provide improved surface drainage minimising the risk of accidents on a wet surface.

For the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2011, a total of 43 crashes were recorded along this length.

Of the 43 crashes recorded, there were:

• 3 fatal crashes (3 killed)
• 22 injury crashes (44 injures)
• 18 tow away crashes.

The three most apparent crash clusters are located at both of the 'reverse curves' and at the far western end of the project.

Year completed: 2019

Project name: Picton Road installation of median barrier, west of Cordeaux Colliery

What: Installing more than 600 metres of median safety barriers between 1.3 kilometres and 2.2 kilometres west of the Cordeaux Colliery entrance, widened centre lines and audio tactile line marking.

Aim: The barriers will help reduce the likelihood of head on crashes at this site, which has had a poor crash history. Traffic now merges on a straight section of road where motorists have improved visibility, which is another positive safety outcome.

Year completed: 2018

Project name: Picton Road installation of acceleration lanes from rest area, west bound rest area upgrade, safety barrier installation, fauna underpass and fauna fencing

What: Installation of median barriers, acceleration lanes for heavy vehicles to merge safety from rest areas, installation of fauna underpass and fauna fencing.

Aim: Reduce likelihood of head on crashes at this location, which has a poor crash history. Improves exit and re-entry to Picton Road, making the rest areas more efficient and allow nearby vehicle drivers to safely merge back onto the road at the speed limit – reducing delays for motorists. Improve fauna safety and improve connectivity to direct wildlife to safer crossing points at Picton Road.

Year completed: 2016

Project name: Hume Highway and Picton Road interchange safety improvements

What: Installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Picton Road and the Hume Highway on and off ramps.

Aim: Improve safety by controlling which vehicles turn and when they turn as well as removing confusion about who has right of way.

Year completed: 2013

Project name: Mount Keira Road to 3.5km west of Mount Keira Road, Stage two (Reverse Curves 2)

What: improving two large and dangerous curves, Concrete median installation, road and shoulder widening and improvements to road drainage. This project also extents the westbound overtaking lane by 900m.

Aim: To address a large number of head on and run off road crashes.

Year completed: 2012

Project name: NRE Colliery to Cordeaux Colliery

What: Concrete median installation, pavement shape correction, road and shoulder widening and road drainage improvements.

Aim: To decrease the risk of head on and run off road crashes.

Year completed: 2011

Project name: East of NRE Colliery

What: Concrete median installation, drainage and existing safety barrier improvements and road and shoulder widening.

Aim: To reduce the risk of head on and run off road crashes.

Year completed: 2011

Project name: East of Macarthur Drive

What: Concrete median installation, road and shoulder widening, drainage improvements, increasing roadside clear zones and constructing emergency breakdown pull over bays.

Aim: To decrease the risk of head on and run off road crashes by making the road environment more forgiving, maximising roadside clear zones and improving sight distance.

Year completed: 2011

Project name: Cordeaux Dam curve and intesection improvements

What: Pavement and shoulder widening, right hand turn storage lane construction, wire rope median instillation and drainage instillation.

Aim: To decrease the risk of head on and rear end crashes by making the road environment more forgiving, maximising roadside clear zones and improving sight distance.

Year completed: 2011

Project name: Mount Keira Road to 3.5km west of Mount Keira Road, Stage one (Reverse Curves 1)

What: Concrete median installation, road and shoulder widening and extending the westbound overtaking lane.

Aim:  To address a large number of head on and run off road crashes.

Year completed: 2010

Project name: West of Cordeaux Colliery

What: Concrete median instillation, road and shoulder widening, and drainage improvements.

Aim: To reduce the risk of head on and run off road crashes and provide greater protection for traffic turning right into the colliery.

Year completed: 2010

Project name: Intersection improvements at Mount Keira Road

What: Curve realignment, wire rope median barrier instillation and road widening.

Aim: To reduce the risk of head on and run off road crashes, improve driveability, and provide greater protection for traffic turning right into Mount Keira Road.

Year completed: 2010

Project name: 500m west of Mount Ousley Road Interchange

What: Concrete median installation and road widening

Aim: To prevent motorists from undertaking unsafe U-turns at this location. As part of the upgrade a U-turn facility was installed on Mount Keira Road to provide a safe location for motorists to turn around.

Year completed: 2009

Project name: Almond Street, Wilton

What: Intersection improvements

Aim: To improve safety for vehicles entering and exiting Wilton by providing dedicated turning and merging lanes and improving visibility and drainage.

Year completed: 2009

Project name: Eastern 15 kilometre section of Picton Road

What: Clearzone improvements

Aim:  To increase road safety by making the road environment more forgiving, maximising roadside clear zones and improving sight distances.

Year completed: 2009

Project name: Janderra Lane to Hume Highway

What: Rebuilding concrete median and improving line marking

Aim: To better separate oncoming traffic the concrete median between the east and west bound traffic lanes was rebuilt.

Year completed: 2009

Project name: West of NRE Colliery

What: Pavement and drainage improvements

Aim:  To reduce the risk of vehicles losing control in the wet and maximise road surface drainage by improving pavement.

Year completed: 2009

Project name: Police enforcement areas

What: Construction police enforcement pads and a police enforcement bay

Aim: To provide areas along Picton Road for NSW Police to safely undertake enforcement activities such as speed enforcement and drink driving.