Borella Road and Riverina Highway Corridor Strategy

A high-level summary of the key proposals from the Corridor Strategy include:

• Planning for future road duplication to increase capacity as growth and demand require, and to reduce accidents and improve safety.
• Upgrading major intersections to improve access and safety and manage additional capacity. Proposed key intersection improvements include traffic lights at Keene and East Streets and roundabouts at Airport Drive, Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Table Top Road and Kerr Road (all subject to further investigation and alternate design options may also be considered).
• Streamlining access to service roads as the main corridor and intersections are upgraded to improve corridor safety and function. This may include relocating or closing some service lane access points and converting some service roads to one-way movement.
• Continuing to advocate for improvements to freeway interchange and Young Street intersections.
• Improving pedestrian access and crossings, in particular between the East Albury shops and the health precinct.
• Expanding and upgrading off-road shared paths, investigating on-road cycle lanes with future road upgrades and improving opportunities to access public transport.
• Identifying future land use demands.
• Investigating potential rezoning around the East Albury shops and Albury Wodonga Health site through a Health Precinct Master Plan to support growth and opportunities of the regionally significant health precinct.
• Exploring opportunities to improve parking in service roads and in and around the hospital.
• Coordinating and planning of works to ensure significant infrastructure like water mains are suitably located outside the potential future road alignment and single-lane roundabouts are designed for potential duplication as demand increases.
• Prioritising the section between Keene to East Streets, as identified through consultation feedback, responding to the number of accidents occurring at these two intersections, the need to improve pedestrian access and safety and potential expansion of the health precinct.

To assist in illustrating the strategies some indicative concepts are provided for key road links and intersections along the corridor (refer Section 9 of the Corridor Strategy report). These provide an example layout only, responding to issues raised by the community and are subject to further investigation and detailed design. As a State Highway the ultimate design and implementation may vary and is the responsibility of Transport for NSW and RMS. Alternate design options will also be considered.

Further community consultation will also be undertaken during the detailed design and implementation phase.

All recommendations and actions of the Corridor Strategy are unfunded and will require collaboration with other state, regional and local organisations to enable implementation. Delivery is expected to be staged over the 2020 to 2060 timeframe as growth and demand increases and as funding allows.

Some areas near the East Albury shops and Albury Wodonga Health site have been identified for investigating potential rezoning to support growth and opportunities of the regionally significant health precinct. The areas shown are indicative only and are subject to a separate Health Precinct Master Plan and potential planning proposal processes that will include further investigations and consultation.

Summary of key findings from Stage 1 consultation (February 2019):

• East St intersection – accidents and safety concerns, confusion with service road joining roundabout
• Pedestrian crossing of Borella Rd – safety concerns, few existing crossings, need for a safe crossing between hospital and East Albury shops
• Keene St intersection – accidents and safety concerns, difficulties turning right onto and from Borella Rd
• Hume Hwy interchange and Schubach St – congestion at peak times
• Streetscape / beautification – desire to improve appearance, retain trees, increase greenery and public art
• Airport Dr, Elizabeth Mitchell Dr & Table Top Rd intersections – some difficulty turning-right onto Highway at peak times
• Shared bike path / footpaths – poor condition of some paths, gaps in the network and opportunities for expansion
• Parking at hospital – high demand at times overflowing onto surrounding streets, suggestions for on-site multi-deck parking

Summary of key findings from Stage 2 consultation (August 2019):

• Overall support – general support for the key concepts
• Consistent message – Feedback was generally consistent with Stage 1 consultation
• Keene to East St – identified as the priority area in particular noting East St and Keene St intersections and need to provide safe pedestrian crossing
• East St intersection – support for traffic lights, need to remove service lane connecting to the roundabout and need to improve pedestrian safety.
• Keene St intersection – support for traffic lights.
• Pedestrian crossing – support for pedestrian crossings particularly near the hospital at East/Keene intersections (or mid-block as an interim measure).
• Freeway interchange – desire to increase capacity/traffic flow
• Duplication – Support to extend dual-lanes in each direction to east
• East St and access to Easternview Estate – issues with sight lines from on-street parking
• Airport Dr intersection – support for roundabout
• Parking at hospital – support multi-deck parking

Refer to summary of issues raised and responses to submissions received.