Glebe Road, Adamstown - safety improvements

High numbers of accidents have occurred at the intersections of Glebe Road with Park Avenue and Wood Street. There are also numerous near misses at the existing pedestrian crossing on Park Avenue south of Glebe Road.

As it is not compulsory to report non-injury accidents to the NSW Police (as has been the case for several years now), it is expected that the actual number of accidents is significantly higher than documented statistics.

Following consultation with residents and businesses, traffic control signals (TCS aka traffic lights) were approved by Council in 2014.

Currently, cyclists using the R1 regional cycleway are directed to cross Glebe Road at Teralba Road. This is very challenging for inexperienced and/or non-confident riders. Once the signals are operational, the R1 cycleway will be re-routed. The new traffic lights will incorporate cycle lanterns and allow a safer crossing of Glebe Road.

In the 1990s, there was a proposal for an overpass of the Adamstown level crossing to allow free flow of traffic uninterrupted by rail movements.

The Draft Newcastle Local Environmental Plan 2000 did not propose a zone for the area immediately around the Adamstown level crossing due to uncertainty surrounding funding and land area requirements. It was also considered that an overpass would detract from the amenity of the area and detrimentally affect walkability.

Current design standards would require an even greater footprint for construction of an overpass. For these reasons, an overpass would not readily be considered as a future option.

Transport for NSW is currently investigating options for the Lower Hunter Freight Corridor, which, when implemented, will enhance amenity and liveability in the area by removing most of the freight trains from the Adamstown level crossing. For more information, visit Transport for NSW's project webpage.

The right turns at Wood Street are being closed due to a high number of accidents that happen when vehicles turn into or out of this intersection.

It is also essential to keep both the Glebe Road and Park Avenue intersection and rail crossing free from obstruction.

The new traffic lights will have a queue detection sensor in Glebe Road to keep the intersection and rail crossing clear for safety.

Without removing the right turn into Wood Street, there is a high risk that queued vehicles will stretch back to the rail crossing. These vehicles would trigger the queue detection sensor, causing frequent delays for eastbound traffic and negatively impacting the surrounding road network.

Alternatives for Eastbound Traffic on Glebe Road:

For those who used to turn right from Glebe Road into Wood Street, you can now choose from the following options:

- Turn left into Court Street, then make a U-turn in the cul-de-sac and then drive straight through the intersection to access Park Avenue (see map above).

- Turn right into Burke Street (a passing lane on the left will be implemented to allow smooth traffic flow past turning vehicles).

- Turn right into Teralba Road (as it operates currently).

- Turn right into Date Street (as it operates currently).

Safer Right Turn Options from Wood Street:

For those who previously turned right from Wood Street into Glebe Road eastbound, the new traffic lights at Park Avenue and Glebe Road will offer a safer and more frequent right turn option than is currently provided at Wood Street.

This is a complex project with a long lead time. The traffic lights are proposed to be integrated with the adjacent level crossing and the impending upgrade of the signalling system by Sydney Trains.

The traffic light phasing will be coordinated with the operation of the Adamstown level crossing gates.

Installation of the traffic lights and associated upgrades is joint funded by City of Newcastle and the Australian Government, under the Australian Government Black Spot Program. In NSW, this program is administered by Transport for NSW (TfNSW).

Some preliminary work involving improvements to footways and drainage, have been undertaken to support this project.

Completion of the project will improve safety at the intersections of Glebe Road with Park Avenue and Wood Street for all users. Regional cycleway R1 will be re-routed to the traffic lights to facilitate safer crossing of Glebe Road for cyclists and pedestrians. Interfacing the traffic lights with the operation of the railway gates will also improve conditions for motorists.

In conjunction with Transport for NSW, we are undertaking all the preparatory works for the traffic light installation.

It is expected that traffic lights will be operational in 2025.

Following the installation of the traffic lights, Sydney Trains propose to upgrade the level crossing signalling system. This upgrade work is being designed and managed by Sydney Trains.

The Newcastle City Traffic Committee (NCTC) has considered multiple options and combinations to address the accident history at the intersection of Glebe Road and Park Avenue and impacts on the surrounding streets in the Adamstown area.

Among the options considered in recent years are a roundabout at the intersection with Park Avenue, traffic lights at Wood Street and banning of right turn movements at Teralba, Date and Bourke streets.

The traffic light installation at the intersection of Glebe Road and Park Avenue is the preferred option and was strongly supported in the consultation undertaken.

The potential for queuing across the level crossing has been considered and appropriate time has been incorporated in signal phasing and coordination with the level crossing gates to prevent this from happening.

We intend to install advance directional signage indicating where to turn to if heading to the Adamstown area south of Glebe Road. Right turn movements from Glebe Road are still permitted into various streets.

The preferred movements for eastbound vehicles on St James Road that miss the Court Street turn would be to continue on Glebe Road, cross Brunker Road, turn left into Gosford Road, left into Kyle Road and left onto Brunker Road.

Operation of the traffic lights and the level crossing boom gates will be integrated.

The St James Road level crossing is currently manually operated, and Sydney Trains propose to semi-automate the controls as part of their upgrades planned following completion of the traffic lights.

The pedestrian gates at the level crossing will operate in accordance with the level crossing controls. If the level crossing boom gates allow traffic movements across the level crossing, pedestrians will be able to move through the pedestrian gates. When the traffic lights are red, but the boom gate is not down, the pedestrian gates will be open.

We have identified this location for future works and scheduled for early 2025.

The works include lowering the height in the centre of the roundabout to facilitate better turning movements for trucks, which are currently mounting the kerb on the roundabout. These existing movements are associated with the light industrial area located in Bailey and Fletcher streets and Garden Grove Parade.

The intersection upgrades at Glebe Road and Park Avenue will follow once the roundabout works are complete.