South Head Road Shared Pathway

Project: An off-road shared pathway along South Head Road from Moruya to Moruya Heads

Funding:

  • A $750,000 grant under the NSW Active Transport Program funded the work completed so far.
  • We continue to seek grant funding from suitable programs to allow us to complete the project.

Last updated: August 2023

Details

We are working to: construct a 2.5m wide concrete shared pathway adjacent to South Head Road, connecting the existing pathways in Moruya and Moruya Heads.

  • Stage 1: (Completed) Design and construct a shared pathway adjacent to South Head Road from Halyard Drive to approximately 150m east of The Anchorage, incorporating a pedestrian refuge.
  • Stage 2: (In progress) Design, approvals and land acquisition for the shared pathway adjacent South Head Road (Halyard Drive to Keightley Street).
  • Stage 3: (Partly completed) Construct the shared pathway adjacent to South Head Road from Keightley Street toward Halyard Drive.

Benefits to the community:

  • Improved pathway network and pedestrian access to facilities and services, including public transport.
  • Improved pedestrian and cyclist safety.
  • Enhanced aesthetics to property frontages and improved property values.
  • Reduction and prevention of erosion and environmental degradation from excessive foot-traffic on existing grassed verges.

Project updates

  • Construction will resume when more funds are allocated to the project.
  • We continue to seek grant funding as suitable programs become available.

May 2021

  • We are constructing a pram ramp near Keightley Street to assist cyclists and pedestrians with crossing South Head Road.
  • We are also working on improving drainage up near the Congo Road intersection.

February 2021

  • We are back on site to further prepare the site for the shared pathway extension.
  • Work is underway up to Congo Road and commuters should allow extra time to travel through the area.

December 2020

  • We've returned to site to finish off levelling the side of the road to make way for the next section of shared pathway.

August 2020

  • Our construction crew has made a fair amount of progress along South Head Road getting it ready for the next stretch of pathway. But for now, we need to concentrate on more urgent projects.
  • We'll get back to this one as soon as we can!

June 2020

Heavy plant levelling the side of the road

  • We've started a little later than planned but are now on site levelling the side of the road between Keightley Street and Congo Road to make way for the next section of the shared pathway.
  • We have also returned to widen the road opposite Keightley Street where we built the latest section of pathway. We'll be sealing this part of road at the end of the month.
  • It seems it's all happening at the moment with some heavy patching of the road surface needed this month too.
  • Commuters should allow extra time to travel through the area in June.

April 2020

  • It's time to crack on with the next stage of this epic project.
  • Our construction crew is gearing up to move a fair amount of dirt between Keightley Street and Congo Road, Moruya.
  • We'll be levelling out the area on the southern side of the road to make room to extend the shared pathway.
  • Work on the ground will start in early May and should take around two months to complete.

July 2019

  • The new shared pathway is complete and helping pedestrians and cyclists to travel safely.
  • We will return to site to widen the road opposite the new pathway once a guide cable for a telegraph pole is relocated.

June 2019

A section of the concrete shared pathway is being built.

  • Work is progressing well with new kerb and gutter installed along the southern side of South Head Road east from Keightley Street.
  • Crews are now focusing on construction of the new section of shared pathway and hope to be finished by the end of the month.

May 2019

  • Our construction crew has begun preliminary work to build the new pathway on South Head Road east from Keightley Street.
  • The road will be realigned to the north to provide sufficient room for the pathway on the opposite side.
  • Our water and sewer team is taking the opportunity to upgrade the water mains in the area to ensure greater reliability of supply.
  • Commuters will not be able to enter Keightley Street from South Head Road from 27 May until 21 June. Access to Keightley Street will be via Maunsell Street.

April 2019

  • The design team have been working on the next section of pathway extending east from the existing pathway near Keightley Street, Moruya.
  • The new 2.5m wide pathway will continue 190m on the southern side of South Head Road.
  • The existing pedestrian refuge in the centre of South Head Road will link the pathways and improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.
  • Download the concept plan (2.7 MB)

November 2018

  • Works are continuing on the design for the 2.3km stretch of pathway between Halyard Drive and Keightley Street to connect the new pathway in South Head to the existing pathway in Moruya.

September 2018

  • Stage 1 of the project is complete.
  • The pathway from Halyard Drive to the road crossing east of The Anchorage has been constructed.
  • The new pedestrian refuge has been built to allow pedestrians and cyclists to safely cross the road.
  • We will return to place instant turf the when conditions are more suitable.
  • Our design team are working on Stage 2 - preparation for the 2.3km stretch between Halyard Drive to Keightley Street that will connect the new section to the existing pathway in Moruya.
  • We will contact affected property owners when the design is complete.

June 2018

Stage1 of the project is under construction and well advanced. These pre-requisites were required before Stage1 could begin:

  • Detailed survey, investigation and design (complete, funded by Council)
  • Flora and Fauna Assessment and Due Diligence reports (complete, funded by grant)
  • Lighting design (underway, funded by grant)
  • Review of Environmental Factors (complete, funded by Council)
  • Concurrence of Australian Government agency responsible for Federally listed Ecologically Endangered Community (complete, administration funded by Council)
  • Consultation with stakeholders including the Moruya South Head Pathway Committee, the public and directly impacted landowners (complete, funded by Council)
  • Agreements for land acquisition from one property (agreement in place, acquisition in progress funded by grant)
  • Relocation of a watermain (complete, funded by Council)
  • Allocation of resources with the work being undertaken by Council’s in-house team supported by local sub-contractors (funded by grant).

The following civil construction activities on the shared pathway are underway:

  • Clearing – complete
  • Provision of stormwater drainage – complete
  • Construction of kerb and gutter for pedestrian refuge and to provide for shared pathway - complete
  • Construction of 2.5m wide reinforced concrete shared pathway – first elements complete
  • Provision of appropriate access connections (driveway and pram ramps for pathway) – complete
  • Design and construct new lighting – contract let.

Design considerations

An initial assessment of the route determined the off-road shared pathway should be on the southern side of South Head Road. Importantly, this route best services the residents at Halyard Drive and the existing and proposed development at Keightley Street and the nearby urban expansion areas.  This also minimises impacts on designated SEPP 14 Wetlands, avoids services and some more difficult property matters.

The proposed shared pathway will service both pedestrians (in their various forms) and cyclists.  The shared pathway will be ‘warranted’ and signposted to permit enforcement of laws pertaining to the use of a shared pathway.  The design of the first phase has already been submitted to and approved by the Eurobodalla Local Traffic Committee and subsequently by Council for this purpose.

Vital for the success of the overall project, was to ensure the crossing points on South Head Road were located and treated appropriately to enable the safe crossing by pedestrians and cyclists.  A crossing point already exists at Keightley Street to connect people from the existing and proposed development to the existing shared pathway back to Moruya.

Following review of the options, it was determined to place a safe crossing point with a pedestrian refuge crossing just east of The Anchorage.  This style of crossing allows a person to cross the road in two stages, improving road safety.  The chosen crossing point has adequate sight lines for the actual speed environment and will be within the 60km/h speed zone (as is the crossing point at Keightley Street). The actual speed environment along South Head Road is also significantly lower at this point, which is particularly important for pedestrians using the pathway and crossing points.

The positioning of the pedestrian refuge point also acts to provide a narrowed ‘entrance’ to the village of Moruya Heads, which should assist reducing the speed environment further on the approach to the intersections and resident driveways to the east of the site. This added benefit is another important road safety improvement.

The crossing point will be provided with appropriate lighting.

Future stages 2 and 3

More funding is required to complete the link between Halyard Drive and Keightley Street (a further 2.3km of off-road shared pathway beyond Halyard Drive).  This is due to the works required to deliver a shared off-road pathway to the required standard taking account of the matters listed below.

The design of the wetland crossing west of Halyard Drive may influence the cost significantly, and the final outcome will only be known upon completion of the detailed design and environmental impact statement.  Previous roadwork in this area required a payment for works elsewhere as an offset for loss of the impacted wetland.

Stage 2 and 3 combined will require as a minimum:

  • Detailed survey investigation and design – to be undertaken in-house at Council’s cost
  • Geotechnical investigations – to be undertaken in-house at Council’s cost
  • Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for works within designated SEPP 14 wetland areas east of Halyard Drive
  • Review of Environmental Factors for works not included in the EIS – to be undertaken in-house at Council’s cost
  • Fauna/flora survey
  • Archaeological due diligence report
  • Identification and acquisition of land for widening of the public road reserve from multiple properties
  • Fencing of new boundaries and potentially a cattle yard
  • Relocation of any impacted services
  • Adjustments to driveways
  • Clearing and stripping of vegetation/topsoil/unsuitable materials
  • Earthworks
  • Stormwater drainage
  • Sub-grade preparation and drainage
  • Tie-ins and adjustments to roadways (where required)
  • Pathway construction
  • Signposting.

Upon completion of the detailed design in Stage 2, consideration will be given to how to mitigate the cost of earthworks by integration of this project with other Council works (eg supply of suitable quality fill material from other works).

More information

For further information about the shared pathway, please contact Geoff Armstrong, Design Coordinator: