Locals impacted by the significant works at the foot of Mount Ousley have been told more trees will be removed in the months ahead, as the $400 million interchange project continues at pace.
While welcoming the news late last week that a shared pedestrian/bicycle bridge over Mount Ousley Road will be reinstated in the plans, residents attending a public information session remain angry at just how much vegetation has been lost.
Tree-loving Keiraville resident Lile Judickas said she was still struggling to understand why so many trees were taken away to make way for the major roadworks. She feels the tree removal to date has been overkill.
"It's confronting to see the forest that was there, removed and the area turned into a desert," Lile told The Illawarra Flame during Transport for NSW's community update at Mount Ousley Public School on July 31.
"I'm sure the trucks will appreciate the extra road space but, in the process, the whole area has been trashed and an ecosystem destroyed."
While welcoming news that significant new planting will take place, she said: "I'm 65 now and it will be at least another 50 years until it starts to look as it should."
Concern that flooding issues will worsen
Lile also worries about other impacts on people living near the interchange in the years ahead.
"The flooding events Wollongong has seen in the past two to five years will only get worse with all these new hard surfaces being created, generating more runoff into the suburbs. We've got to get over this over reliance on cars."
Lile hopes the Wollongong project doesn't go the way of another large road construction at Warringah in Sydney's north where 6,000 new trees promised now won't be planted "because there's nowhere to plant them".
Another local, Andrew Czerwinski, told Transport for NSW officials his concerns are more short-term.
While currently living in Mangerton, Andrew is considering a move to Mount Ousley, and he wanted to know before an auction how the new road might impact the property he was looking to buy in Dumfries Avenue, very close to the roadworks.
Locals get ocean views
Graham Logg has lived most of his life in the area and he's already noticing changes.
"It's good and it's bad," he said. "Despite the sound barrier, we reckon it was quieter when the trees were there. But is does give us ocean views when we're out walking."
Jenny O'Toole, a resident for 31 years, is pleased the shared bridge is back in the plans. "That was a good win," she said.
Matthew Pearce remains philosophical about how the project is progressing. "It was always going to be ugly when they're building it," he said. Matthew said providing a safe right-hand turn from Mount Ousley Road up the M1 is "a win for the region".
He gave credit to Transport for NSW for holding the public information sessions as site works continue.
Transport for NSW update
In the update, locals were told piling works for new bridges over the M1 Princes Motorway, a heavy vehicle bypass and southbound access road are well advanced. Once complete, the bridge substructures and retaining walls will be built.
Progress is also being made on the new noise wall next to Dumfries Avenue, with installation of noise panels underway. The noise wall is expected to be completed later this year, weather permitting.
Construction of one of two new heavy vehicle safety ramps and the heavy vehicle bypass is continuing. Meanwhile, earthworks have commenced on the southern side of the M1 Princes Motorway, where a new access road into the University of Wollongong, commuter carpark and bridge over the motorway will be built.
Towards the end of the year, the first new heavy vehicle safety ramp is expected to open and the existing ramp to close. More details on this milestone will be released in the coming months.
