F3 Freeway Audit 2005

The survey considered the F3 Freeway from Newcastle to Sydney, 127 kilometres of road.

The freeway begins at the Pacific Highway at Wahroonga and ends at John Renshaw Drive near Beresfield. The F3 freeway passes through six local government areas; Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, Gosford, Wyong, Lake Macquarie and Newcastle.

Key findings of the survey

• Overtaking is possible for 100 per cent of the route
• There is an upward trend in the total number of crashes between 1994 & 2003.
• The most common crash type is between vehicles travelling in the same direction
• The percentage of crashes that involve fatalities remains low throughout the ten year period - only 1 to 2 per cent.
• Traffic volumes are generally highest on the southern end of the freeway (70,000 - 80,000 AADT)
• 10 per cent of the freeway was judged to have fair pavement conditions
• Shoulders were 2 metres wide or more for 94.7 per cent of the route (wide shoulders provide a place for stalled vehicles and opportunity for an errant vehicle to regain control)
• 93.2 per cent of route has a speed limit of 110km/h
• There are no curves signposted at 35km/h less than the speed limit
• The longest length of the route with no formal rest area is approximately 58 kilometres, stretching from the northern end of the route at Beresfield to the rest area south of Ryhope

NRMA wants the Australian Government to continue its commitment to the upgrading of the F3 freeway to three lanes in each direction.

Blackspot and Blacklength Locations (2001-2003)

State Program Definition: Top 5 Crash Rates

Location	Town	Crashes	Fatalities	Casualties
Palmers Road Overpass	Freeman's Waterhole	10	0	5
Cobbs Road	Tuggerah	12	0	2
Mandalong Road Overpass	Morisset	5	0	5
O'Donnell Town Road Overpass	West Wallsend	3	0	1
Palmers Road Overpass	Freeman's Waterhole	3	0	0

Federal Program Definition: Top 5 Crash Rates

Location	Town	Crashes	Fatalities	Casualties
Palmers Road Overpass	Ryhope	3	0	4
Ku-ring-gai Chase Overpass	Ku-ring-gai Chase	4	0	7
Mandalong Road Overpass	Morisset	4	0	5
Piles Creek	Somersby	3	0	4
Hawkesbury River	Brooklyn	7	0	7

Ku-ring-gai LGA ? 3 km

This section is 92 per cent two lanes, and 45 per cent of route has a speed limit of 110km/h. Traffic volumes for this section are around 70,000+ AADT.

Pavement is good for 98 per cent of the route and shoulder conditions are good for 95 per cent of the route. The predominant crash types for this section of the highway are

• rear end (30 per cent)
• lane change to left (13 per cent)
• off carriageway to right on straight into object (13 per cent).

There are two changes of speed limit for this section.

Crash Rate:  31.3 per 100M VKT
Casualty Rate: 11.0 per 100M VKT

Hornsby LGA ? 20 km

This section is 81 per cent two lanes, and 100 per cent of route has a speed limit of 110km/h. Traffic volumes for the route vary from 60,000 to 70,000+ (AADT).

Pavement is good for 81 per cent of the route and shoulder conditions are good for 96 per cent of the route. The predominant crash types for this section of the highway are

• rear end (32 per cent)
• off carriageway to right on straight into object (17 per cent)
• off carriageway on straight to left into object (12 per cent).

There are no changes in speed limit on this section.

Crash Rate:  21.0 per 100M VKT
Casualty Rate: 11.3 per 100M VKT

Wyong LGA ? 25 km

This section is predominantly two lanes, and 78 per cent of route has a speed limit of 110km/h. Traffic volumes for the route vary from 30,000 to 60,000 (AADT).

Pavement is good for 98 per cent of the route and shoulder conditions are good for 100 per cent of the route. The predominant crash types for this section of the highway are

• rear end (30 per cent)
• off carriageway on straight to left into object (10 per cent)
• off carriageway to left on  right hand bend into object (10 per cent).

There are 2 changes in speed limit on this section.

Crash Rate:  34.4 per 100M VKT
Casualty Rate: 12.9 per 100M VKT

Lake Macquarie LGA ? 41 km

This section is predominantly two lanes, and 100 per cent of route has a speed limit of 110km/h. Traffic volumes for the route vary from 20,000 to 40,000 (AADT).

Pavement is good for 93 per cent of the route and shoulder conditions are good for 99 per cent of the route. The predominant crash types for this section of the highway are

• off carriageway on straight into object (19 per cent)
• right rear end (15 per cent)

There are no changes in speed limit on this section.

Crash Rate: 15.9 per 100M VKT
Casualty Rate: 8.5 per 100M VKT

Newcastle LGA ? 8 km

This section is predominantly two lanes, and 86 per cent of route has a speed limit of 110km/h. Traffic volumes for the route vary from 20,000 to 30,000 (AADT).

Pavement is good for 100 per cent of the route and shoulder conditions are good for 99 per cent of the route. The predominant crash types for this section of the highway are

• off carriageway on straight to left into object (23 per cent)
• right rear end (15 per cent)

There are two changes in speed limit on this section.

Crash Rate: 16.4 per 100M VKT
Casualty Rate: 9.0 per 100M VKT

For a full copy of the report contact Public Policy at public.policy@mynrma.com.au or 8222 2158