Bulahdelah bypass

[alnjan]

Not saying 3 lanes wouldn't be nice baz but why is it needed ? When the only trouble with 2 lanes or even one lane Is either side of a long weekend maybe 1 percent of the year if that ? How does that justify billions spent on a highway  just because it inconveniences holiday traffic a minority of the time ?

Don't suppose you have tried to drive through the likes of Kempsey any time of the day and not experience a delay or a single lane section of the highway and get stuck behind either a mobile road block or (generally a local) some one that insists the speed limit is 20kays below the posted speed

[Campfire]

I have been involved with studying the Bulahdelah Upgrade for 11 years now, some have been involved longer.  Any delays have only been caused due to the RMS formerly RTA with their own stupidity and not being able to listen to what well informed people were trying to tell them.  The Alum Mountain is prone to landslides and boulder falls which is currently happening at the top of the Mountain at this moment.  The landslides and boulder falls are due to the vibration and blasting used in the construction of the highway.  I have all of the reports for this project dating from the year 2000, and even these reports tell you that they should not have attempted construction using this route, Option A to the West of the township was the clear winner all round, including cheaper.  There is a great website available with all the true facts regarding the Bulahdelah Upgrade if anyone cares to learn more, this website contains the true facts and not assumptions or RMS media propaganda.

http://bulahdelahbypass.wordpress.com

The blasting which was carried out on that project by the contractors  was done to a Blast Management Plan, and would have had very conditions placed on it. Blasting also is worked out so minimal vibrations and shockwave is experienced. The Buladelah project prior to any blasting would have had seismic sensors placed and video cameras placed to monitor the blasting, with all information sent back to the principle client by the contractors involved. Further more any deviation from the strict plans and conditions set for the blasting, would have involved a reportable event to DPI and other external / regulatory groups. Penalities would have been heavy, all blasting would have involved a post blast summary/ survey of the area. At times a clay base is used on the surface to absorb the break up so it's almost like an implosion, ( flyrock is a no no and reportable event) for those contracting companies involved.

Campfire

[BradandPeta]

Don't suppose you have tried to drive through the likes of Kempsey any time of the day and not experience a delay or a single lane section of the highway and get stuck behind either a mobile road block or (generally a local) some one that insists the speed limit is 20kays below the posted speed

18 times in the last 2 weeks and 22 times in the coming 2 weeks mate the only delay seems to be of a morning with school bus traffic and 9 to 5 workers in a congo line at south Kempsey but still presents minimal delays. I am not quiet sure at what your implying as I have no issue bypassing and I look forward to it when Kempsey and fredo are bypassed but realistically you could bypass it with single lanes in both directions and it would be sufficient for many years to come.

[Paul Brooks]

The blasting which was carried out on that project by the contractors  was done to a Blast Management Plan, and would have had very conditions placed on it. Blasting also is worked out so minimal vibrations and shockwave is experienced. The Buladelah project prior to any blasting would have had seismic sensors placed and video cameras placed to monitor the blasting, with all information sent back to the principle client by the contractors involved. Further more any deviation from the strict plans and conditions set for the blasting, would have involved a reportable event to DPI and other external / regulatory groups. Penalities would have been heavy, all blasting would have involved a post blast summary/ survey of the area. At times a clay base is used on the surface to absorb the break up so it's almost like an implosion, ( flyrock is a no no and reportable event) for those contracting companies involved.

So why are so many houses damaged in Bulahdelah due to the blasting?  The same property damage happened south of here at Nerong while blasting was being carried out there.  Flyrock is a no no, well this video clip shows a lot of flyrock coming from a blast on the Alum Mountain November 2011.  Most definitely will report them and send a copy of the video proof, link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNjYf6unrH0

Campfire

[Campfire]

Paul,

I was only a rank and file contractor onsite mate, can't speak for the numerous contractors and companies involved with that project. If my understanding is correct anything that goes out of the requirements of the job would have been reported by the principle contractor anyway, so if something wasnt right then it would have been reported by the main contractor to external authorities anyway.

 So if you think you have an issue then take it up with those who are doing the project.

This forum is about camper trailers and trips etc, the discussion of road safety and traffic management is always an important topic, but if the thread discussion is slowly being steered into social political activism with Buladehah, then you can count me out. I've noticed you have only had 3 replies since joining myswag and mostly linked to this particular topic.

I am however happy to discuss campers , road trips and modifications, otherwise count me out of any further discussion.

Campfire

[Paul Brooks]

I will count you out of any further discussion Campfire.  I only post what are the true facts and the true facts concern all road users including Camper van owners.  There have been many untruths involved with the Bulahdelah Upgrade, and I will continue to correct them.  I can back up everything I am posting about this unsafe and deadly piece of highway construction with Photographs, Video Footage and RMS/Baulderstone and PB Reports, I never say or assume anything without the evidence to back my statements or comments up.  The Option E route for Bulahdelah is going to be, if completed, the most deadly and dangerous for all road users including camper van owners.  Every road user is entitled to know the full true facts.  The Alum Mountain has never been monitored at the top while blasting has been carried out, there has been landslides and boulder falls.  Blasting has caused property damage to houses in Bulahdelah.  (Campfire raised the subject of blasting in a previous post).  Toxic crystalline silica is being spread all over the community through the crushing of massive amounts of Alum stone that is being blasted or dug from the ground, this is a major health risk.  Land being used is also a registered Public Reserve, that is criminal and illegal to start with.  A small section of the newly formed batter has had a landslip which poses a major threat for motorists using this section.  Private property owners dams have been contaminated and livestock have died through drinking water from these dams.  All in all this highway upgrade section has caused major problems, and ongoing, for a lot of people, and do RMS or the contractors or the Authorities listen "NO!".  I will continue to expose what is happening in Bulahdelah.  In the past letters from various people have reported some of the misdeeds to ICAC.  Phone calls to the EPA are almost daily from local residents.  Over twenty years ago now I saw a map for the Pacific Highway Upgrade when it was called Pacific Motorway or Motorway Pacific, it showed the highway going to the West of Bulahdelah, not East.  Strange how all copies of this map seem to have vanished from departments that had them.  Once again just reported the TRUE FACTS.   

[Campfire]

Paul,

That's fine with what your saying and good luck with your activism, it's a free world .
  I'm just happy being involved with forum topics  on camper trailers only,  so as stated before I will politely stay out of any further comments on this topic.

Regards

Campfire
 

[Snow]

While it is interesting to hear of the issues surrounding the construction of this section of the Pacific Hwy, this forum is not the place to  lobby any political agenda arising from it. 

[Paul Brooks]

I do not have any Political Agenda nor am I an Activist, I'm a researcher.  I found this Forum by google searching a Lion's Club camping ground issue that is happening in Bulahdelah at the moment, and I came across this Forum and thought I would make comments here to the true facts of the Pacific Highway Upgrade Bulahdelah.

Before the closure of the Alum Mountain Park, a Registered Public Reserve by RMS formerly RTA, the Alum Mountain Park was a very popular stop over point for many camper van owners, and all took great interest and mostly disgust with what the RMS were planning.

With the forced highway changes just North of Bulahdelah, there has already recently been a fatal accident involving a car and a truck, the car driver being killed.

If I have any Political Agenda's I deal direct with the source of the agenda, and not on a Forum such as this one, and with my heavy research work load I have no time for Activism activities.

As a researcher I like to deal directly with the true facts, and therefore correct things that are not correct or answer any questions that may arise.

[MarkGU]

I do not have any Political Agenda nor am I an Activist, I'm a researcher.  I found this Forum by google searching a Lion's Club camping ground issue that is happening in Bulahdelah at the moment, and I came across this Forum and thought I would make comments here to the true facts of the Pacific Highway Upgrade Bulahdelah.

Before the closure of the Alum Mountain Park, a Registered Public Reserve by RMS formerly RTA, the Alum Mountain Park was a very popular stop over point for many camper van owners, and all took great interest and mostly disgust with what the RMS were planning.

With the forced highway changes just North of Bulahdelah, there has already recently been a fatal accident involving a car and a truck, the car driver being killed.

If I have any Political Agenda's I deal direct with the source of the agenda, and not on a Forum such as this one, and with my heavy research work load I have no time for Activism activities.

As a researcher I like to deal directly with the true facts, and therefore correct things that are not correct or answer any questions that may arise.

Paul, mate just let it go. tell us about your camper or your tow rig.
we will find that alot more interesting.
if people are interested then they will research it.
grab a coldie and just chill out with us 

[MarkGU]

one thing that should be a concern to all road users is that when they plan these new u-beaut highways is there is no rest areas. as a heavy vehicle driver and by law we need to utilize rest areas, but the general public also should have access to clean,quiet and safe pull off areas like we should as well.

why cant the RMS make their contractors leave old sections of the highway intact so rest areas are away from the main road with facilities to use?

[dazzler]

I lived in Port Macquarie from 1978 to 1987 and have return frequently to visit family and friends.

I know its fashionable to bag the govt but I think they are doing ok.  Its a blooooooody big job (just look at the size of the new dual lanes north of buledelah to get a handle on the scale of it). 

They could have taken the easy option and just improve the windy old pacific hw but that would have been second best.  I know there are delays at holidays so we simply travel at night so we time arriving at those bottlenecks after 10pm at night.

Keep in mind in 1978 it used to take 7hrs from Hornsby to Kempsey.  Its now about 3.5 to 4.  I remember the old semis with the tarped over loads back to 1st up the hills 


cheers

[christofurry]

As a contractor on the Buladelah Bypass Project, the principle contractor had us operating to a tight schedule, the conditions and requirements of our project management plans were quite detailed. Allowances for delays in production have to be made for factors like maintenance repairs, servicings and estimated breakdowns ( all factored in to overal plan), other issues included the weather ( we couldn't operate in rain or thunderstorm), condition of ground ( drying out  mud/ clay environment).

Outside the strict quota we had, there was a  constant list external key stakeholder requirements to meet. The RTA and various other representatives / inspections were constantly checking up to make sure their conditions were met. If we breached any one of numerous requirements, we would be heavily penalized/ fined. For some of our tasks,we had to have it in writing well in advance when we were going to temporarily close traffic off, if we went out that side that pre-approved plan then once again we would be severely penalized, even if it was just a couple of minutes outside the
schedule.

While I have no intention of giving any details about the Buladelah bypass project itself, contractors on these kinds  of projects are constantly under the pump by external interest groups, and most
project managers, supervisors and employees are working very hard to keep to conditions set in their project management plans. I'm now working as a contractor on the Hunter Expressway Project, along with other projects in other states ( NSW, Qld, SA, Vic).

Regards

Campfire

Campfire, Thanks for explaining that. Good to see someone who understands the pressures created by the client to get a job done.

Im a Senior engineer for one of the big contractors who is working just up the road on another section of the Pacific Highway. The requirements set by the client RMS (old RTA) in the Head contract and specifications alone make it very difficult to construct. Let alone the influence of Joe public, the financial side (set by RMS), the weather, the stakeholders, the independent verifiers, the interested parties, the regulators, the unions, the Environmental requirements, the safety requirements etc etc etc  The list is endless on who gets to comment on any small single detail.

Guys, wake up and stop taking it out on the Contractor. We're just trying to do a job to the best of our ability with the conditions presented. We have a LOT of good engineers and a hell of a lot of great blokes out in the paddock doing their personal best.

The complaints department is located in the RMS office or local members office, just remember its not the blokes out on the ground who can change it.

Happy to discuss further
Chris
 

[Flemo]

Hey chris don't forget Rob d making it hard for you! The x factor!!

[christofurry]

Hey chris don't forget Rob d making it hard for you! The x factor!!

Hahaha yep. I'll send you a PM

[Signature035]

Keep in mind in 1978 it used to take 7hrs from Hornsby to Kempsey.  Its now about 3.5 to 4.  cheers

Jeepers Dazler......   I do the trip to Crescent from the north side of Sydney fairly regularly ..... been doing it since the mid 70's....  I know it has improved out of sight........ but still takes me a solid 5 and a bit hours to Crescent towing the Camper......   maybe I really do need to upgrade to a D4D 

[dazzler]

Jeepers Dazler......   I do the trip to Crescent from the north side of Sydney fairly regularly ..... been doing it since the mid 70's....  I know it has improved out of sight........ but still takes me a solid 5 and a bit hours to Crescent towing the Camper......   maybe I really do need to upgrade to a D4D 

Maybe mine is the real estate salesmans version 

Will be doing it soon when I come up for a funeral.  Will check how long it takes 

I really miss the old old buledelah range.  God that was fun.  Late at night, girly alongside, Dire Straits on the tape deck....