The people of Maitland have spoken and now it’s time for the State Government to act.
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In a city that is bursting at the seams, residents have made it abundantly clear that our roads are not good enough.
Response to recent Fairfax Media reports for a west-bound flyover near Maitland Railway Station and a safer intersection at the New England Highway and Aberglasslyn Road, Rutherford, have been overwhelming to say the least.
The Mercury’s Facebook page and other community pages have been flooded with comments and we can now confirm Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is listening.
In a brief response an RMS spokesman said RMS is investigating the intersection of the New England Highway and Aberglasslyn Road at Rutherford.
Some readers described the intersection as a nightmare and said they try to avoid it at all costs travelling either through Oakhampton or going further along the highway to other access points.
One reader expressed concern about the construction of a new Ambulance station on Aberglasslyn Road – the build up of traffic making it hard for emergency services to navigate their way onto the highway.
Some readers said the problem sits with too much residential development and not enough of a focus has been placed on infrastructure needs in the west.
Glyn Avery commented on The Mercury’s Facebook page and said: I think a lot of politicians, government agencies (and developers) at the time thought the HEX (Hunter Expressway) would solve everything, and that opening it would flick a switch. It’s a great piece of infrastructure but Maitland is yet to see the full potential of its benefit and with development not slowing down its back in a game of catch up.”
The RMS spokesperson said the Hunter Expressway opened in 2014 and Maitland residents can access the expressway via Cessnock Road and Mount Vincent Road. “These connector roads link to the Kurri Kurri and Buchanan interchanges, which are located less than four kilometres apart,” the spokesperson said.
In relation to the possibility of a west-bound flyover the RMS spokesperson said: “RMS is working with Maitland City Council to determine the most appropriate solution to traffic issues in the area.”
