Health precinct intersection upgrades - Wagga Wagga

Reviewed

Project overview

Transport for NSW has upgraded two intersections on Edward Street in Wagga Wagga to improve traffic conditions around the city's busy health precinct. The upgrades were carried out at the Edward Street junctions with Docker and Murray streets.

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Project information

Background

Transport for NSW has upgraded the Edward Street intersections with Murray and Dockers streets in Wagga Wagga to improve traffic conditions around the city's busy health precinct.

These busy junctions were identified for safety and traffic efficiency improvements.

Investigations were carried out in the first half of 2021, with the upgrades completed by mid-2023.

Health precinct intersection upgrades at Wagga Wagga map

Project overview

Transport for NSW is upgrading two intersections along Edward Street.

Key features of this work includes:

  • installing new traffic lights at the Edward and Murray Street intersection
  • installing dedicated turning lanes from Edward Street into Murray Street
  • upgrading the road surface at Edward and Murray Street intersection, and repairing the road surface near Docker Street.
  • upgrading the existing Edward Street intersection at Docker Street, with changes to turning lanes and traffic lights to improve intersection efficiency
  • improving pedestrian and cyclist access across Edward Street, integrating with Wagga Wagga City Council’s (WWCC) Active Travel network
  • relocating power poles and removing trees to provide a clear corridor for large vehicles
  • extending raised centre medians along Edward Street near traffic lights.

Key benefits of this project include:

  • improved safety for all transport users
  • improved traffic flow in central Wagga Wagga
  • improved accessibility in and around the health precinct
  • improved connectivity with broader transport network.

For more information, see the project Frequently Asked Questions.

Intersection upgrades now complete

Transport has finished the upgrade of two of Wagga’s Wagga’s busiest intersections on the Sturt Highway.

The upgrades improve safety and traffic efficiency in the health precinct area which includes the city’s two hospitals and supporting specialist facilities.

Other key benefits to the project include better accessibility in and around the health precinct, and improved connectivity with the city’s broader transport network.

Stage 1 of the project involved road resurfacing and the installation of traffic lights at the highway intersection (Edward Street) with Murray Street. This was completed on 5 April when the Murray Street intersection lights were turned on.

Stage 2 was the reconfiguration of lanes at the highway’s Docker Street intersection. This includes new dedicated right turning lanes.

We finished this stage with final linemarking on 25 May, marking the completion of the three-month project.

Transport thanks the community for its patience and understanding while this important project was completed.

Community information

Community engagement

Consultation with the community is an important part of this project’s development. We understand any road work carried out on main roads in regional towns impacts the local community and their day-to-day life.

We would like to understand community concerns and general sentiment around the intersection upgrades so we can help mitigate these issues where possible.

If you have any concerns that you would like to discuss, please get in touch with us via the contact details below.

Frequently asked questions

When is construction likely to start?

Preliminary work started in February 2023.

How long is construction expected to take for both intersection upgrades?

Construction took about 12 weeks. Stage one was the installation of Murray Street traffic lights which was finished in April. The project was completed in May 2023 with the Docker Street intersection upgrade.

How much is the project expected to cost?

The Transport for NSW-led health precinct intersection upgrades have a budget of $3.4 million.

How will I access the hospital during construction?

Community notices will be provided closer to construction. Traffic control and detours will be clearly signposted.

The Docker Street intersection with Edward Street is increasingly busy with long queues during peak hours. How will upgrades at this intersection improve traffic flow?

Docker Street will be reconfigured to provide a dedicated right turn lane into Edward Street. This will help ease congestion as turning vehicles will no longer impede the movement of north and southbound through-traffic, improving traffic flow at peak hours.

Computer modelling of traffic movements has been carried out to identify opportunities to improve intersection performance through upgrades to traffic lights and signal programming.

Will both intersections on Edward Street be upgraded at the same time?

Intersection upgrades will be completed progressively, with work staged to limit the impact of road works on Transport customers and the community.

Parking is already limited in the health precinct, why are we losing kerbside parking spaces?

The intersection improvements include construction of additional turning lanes and raised centre medians to improve each intersection’s safety and capacity to handle large traffic volumes. The extra lanes require repurposing parking lanes into through-lanes.

How many car spaces will be removed due to the intersection work on Edward and Docker Streets?

We expect approximately 100 kerb-side car spaces will be lost to increase traffic capacity. Transport is exploring alternate car parking opportunities to meet our customers’ needs. We have programmed work in stages to minimise car parking impacts to the community and to hospital users.

Will there be impacts to trees along these sections?

Yes. Clearance under the existing trees is acceptable for light vehicle parking, however as the parking lanes are repurposed for through-traffic, tree trimming and in some cases tree removal will be required to ensure larger vehicles such as trucks and buses can travel safely. Transport will confirm the exact number of trees to be removed during the detailed design process.

Transport takes its responsibility to the environment and legislation seriously. We have carried out an environmental assessment and have assessed what impacts construction will have on the road corridor. Our aim is to preserve as many trees as possible along Edward Street while ensuring the safety of all our Transport customers.

Why do we need another set of traffic lights instead of a roundabout?

Edward Street is a major freight corridor for longer vehicles including B-doubles. A roundabout that can accommodate these larger vehicles would occupy more space than is available, and would adversely impact residential properties at the intersection.

Why can't we close Murray Street (north) access to Edward Street?

The benefits of this option would be minor. Traffic turning right from Murray Street (South) onto Edward Street would continue to hinder the performance of the overall road network. Furthermore, this option does not address the existing issues of pedestrian safety at this intersection and is therefore not considered feasible. 

Will these traffic lights detect vehicles or work off a timer?

All traffic lights in NSW use a demand-based system that detects and responds to vehicles as they approach the intersection through sensors embedded in the road surface. The traffic lights are networked through a system that optimises traffic light performance based on neighbouring traffic lights, and its operation is continuously monitored and adjusted by Transport.

Project documents

Some documents on this page may not comply with accessibility requirements (WCAG).

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Community updates

Contact us

For further information about this project, please contact:

Phone: (02) 6923 6664

Email: SouthProjects@transport.nsw.gov.au

Mail: Health precinct intersection upgrades, PO Box 484, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650