Major NSW roads to get name-changes

[AWD Chaser]

http://www.news.com.au/national/majo...-1226482603872

MAJOR NSW roads will have a name-change to standardise the roads system across states.
Roads Minister Duncan Gay announced today that all major motorways will be named under an alpha-numeric system that will cost $20 million to roll out.

All motorways will start with M with a numeral attached, roads of national significance will be named A and roads of state significance will be named B.

From next year, the F3 will be called the M1 Pacific Motorway, the Hume Highway will be renamed A22 and the Bells Line of Road will be called the B59.

Mr Gay said the system will make it easier for tourists to travel interstate.

The opposition has called the re-naming of major roads a “colossal” waste of money.

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news...-1226482643995

A NSW government plan to rebadge major roads across the state has been labelled a "colossal" $20 million waste of the money by the opposition.

Roads Minister Duncan Gay on Thursday announced NSW would adopt the alpha-numeric signage system used by other states, with a M given to motorways, an A to routes of national significance and a B to routes of state significance.
The changes to more than 60 routes, which will cost $20 million and be rolled out by the end of next year, mean roads such as the F3 north of Sydney would be renamed the M1 Pacific Motorway, and the Newell Highway signposted the A39.
Mr Gay said changing signage to the same system used in Victoria and Queensland was long overdue, and standardisation would make it less confusing for interstate and overseas tourists to navigate around NSW.
Mr Gay acknowledged $20 million was a large amount of money to spend on new signage, but added it was "money well spent".
"This has an economic benefit to the state, in that it allows our goods to move better, it helps our tourism, and it also has a safety outcome," he told reporters.
"Eventually it will help our safety vehicles to be able to find their way quicker."
But the opposition said it was "complete madness", particularly when the government was cutting billions from the education and health budgets.
"The people of NSW want their roads fixed and they want them built, they don't want them simply renamed," acting opposition roads spokeswoman Penny Sharpe told reporters in Sydney.
"Today's announcement is also an announcement about priorities.
"Every school, every hospital, is feeling cuts across this state."
Ms Sharpe dismissed suggestions the tourism industry would benefit from the changes.
"Tourists already seem to get around NSW quite fine on their own," she said.
"Most cars actually have a GPS these days.
"The Hume Highway will still be the Hume Highway, and you can't go up the eastern side of NSW without knowing it is the Pacific Highway. This is waste of time and money."

[HULK EF]

Government may aswell have stock piled money bon fires. -such is the millions-billions they waste each year. Its sickening the way the waste so much and yet cut the budgets of schools/hospitals/fire brigades and tax the **** out of aussies to oblivion. "We- the tax paying people are the messenger in "300" '-Quote" This-is-madness!!!" Goverment treat us like "THIS....IS....SPAAAAAAARRTTTAAAAAA!!!" kick us down a bottomless pit.. or in other word.. tax the schitt out of us any way they can. often doubling or trippling up on taxes on taxes.

[#Russ#Es#]

If anyone wants to share their opinion about this directly with the RTA/RMS, have a look here: http://haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/road-route-markers

I don't work for RMS but my job involves facilitating these consultations.

[flappist]

Just wonder what is wrong with making NSW signage the same as all the other states?

[kaniSS]

Originally Posted by flappist

Just wonder what is wrong with making NSW signage the same as all the other states?

Nothing at all, but it's not the right time for this to be considered, considering the financial problems we are currently in. I'd rather they spent the 20million on reducing my electricity bill. Idiots.

[MITCHAY]

I could understand if they named new roads from now on with this standard with a view to change the existing roads in the future but given the budget constraints it is a huge amount of waste now.

[SteveJH]

I think its a brilliant idea.

And in the scheme of government budgets, $20 million wont go very far.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by kaniSS

Nothing at all, but it's not the right time for this to be considered, considering the financial problems we are currently in. I'd rather they spent the 20million on reducing my electricity bill. Idiots.

Well if they split it up between all the NSW houses you would get maybe $5 each off your bill.

[Fiesta_Man69]

Originally Posted by flappist

Just wonder what is wrong with making NSW signage the same as all the other states?

Please. The govt. has just cut $1.7 billion from education, $3 billion from health. Instead of spending $20 million on blackspots, potholes etc. it's doing this.... Extremely poor timing when the money could be used elsewhere far, far more effectively.

[DJM83]

Could rename the Pac highway the MGoattrack....

[No.6]

what the...

Now i have to upgrade my GPS.

[Burnout]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Could rename the Pac highway the MGoattrack....

The Newell Hwy, McPothole, and while they are about it the New England Hwy could be renamed the Putty Road after all they do connect.......

[blk6t]

It will take a generation of drivers before these changes actually become common place. To me "Bells Line of Rd" will always be "Bells Line of Rd" not B59.

The US system works well because the interstate roads are a big grid across the country, well thought out and planned.

[Kable72]

What did I just read? What is this, I don't even...?

Why is it that they spend money on useless ventures instead of trying to bring cost of living down.

[bobwm]

Government educational video on it:

http://youtu.be/xW25_XA5xlM

This has been a long time coming, with most signs updated over the last few years already having the new alphanumeric route numbers on them with a coverplate over the top either featuring the old metroad/state route/national route/highway shield or just a blanking plate.

No matter how many National Highway 1 shields there were on the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, it's always been the F3 to most people. I wonder if Pacific Motorway or M1 will catch on any better.

[SteveJH]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Could rename the Pac highway the MGoattrack....

Better than any of the other roads in NSW that i've driven.....

[Keepleft]

Ministerial Media release, 27 September 2012

Road signs across New South Wales will start changing from early next year as part of a project to standardise the system across major states.

The alpha-numeric system is currently used in Queensland and Victoria and identifies road corridors in order of their importance.

CONTINUES, SEE LINK:-
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/newsevents...oadnumbers.pdf



Opinion:- The NSW Hume Highway becomes the "M31 Hume Motorway". I have a designation concern with this, as although the road is a high-standard, two-lane dual carriageway for most part, with some genuine full-freeway specification stretches; most of it is mere 'dual-carriageway' NOT to motorway engineering specification, and as such comprise INTERSECTIONS, and not a freeway or genuine motorway's 'grade-separated INTERCHANGES'.

A similar scenario applies to the existing Pacific Highway upgrades north of Newcastle (the 22km Buladelah-Cooloolongook section IS to full freeway specification), and parts of the New England Highway that would be expected, under this system, of obtaining 'motorway' route numbering.

Hardly important:-)

[bobwm]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

Ministerial Media release, 27 September 2012

CONTINUES, SEE LINK:-
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/newsevents...oadnumbers.pdf



Opinion:- The NSW Hume Highway becomes the "M31 Hume Motorway". I have a designation concern with this, as although the road is a high-standard, two-lane dual carriageway for most part, with some genuine full-freeway specification stretches; most of it is mere 'dual-carriageway' NOT to motorway engineering specification, and as such comprise INTERSECTIONS, and not a freeway or genuine motorway's 'grade-separated INTERCHANGES'.

It is only named "Hume Motorway" as far as Berrima and "Hume Highway" the rest of the way, but it carries the M31 designation the entire distance... There's pretty much full grade separation up until Berrima isn't there?

[The Yeti]

shame to say I voted for them :(

20mill wont go far in terms of goverment budgeting, as was said above, and lets face it the chances are it will blow out of budget

BUT considering the slashing and burning these guys have been doing with emergency services, education and health, I think the money could be better spent elsware instead of renaming the Bells line of road the B52 or what ever

[AWD Chaser]

If they change the F3 to a Motorway, does that mean they can stick tolls on it?

[JC]

Better to spend the $20M on driver education or better yet, getting cops to pull over people who do what I am about to describe. I have just travelled from Canberra to Brisbane, and pm divided roads, traffic travels OK, with only the odd twit staying in the right lane (usually move after a flash or two, or I overtake on the left). BUT, on the single lane roads with overtaking lanes, the number of slow drivers that speed up on hitting the overtaking lane is ridiculous - I just boot it and get past them, but on double demerits points weekends, I (well, they, really) end up putting my license on the line. These are drivers that fail to do 90 to 95 in the 100 zones. If you don't get past them, they hold up an ever increasing number of cars for kms......

One of the cars I passed today was a cop car too - but not on an overtaking lane - on broken lines - he was doing 80 in the 100 zone, but as I went around him (tentatively, mind you) he sped up as I got close to his drivers door - I kept going and pulled in front of him as an oncoming car was obviously getting closer (still safe though.....). He stayed close behind me for a while, and then dropped back to bait someone else.

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

shame to say I voted for them :(

20mill wont go far in terms of goverment budgeting, as was said above, and lets face it the chances are it will blow out of budget

BUT considering the slashing and burning these guys have been doing with emergency services, education and health, I think the money could be better spent elsware instead of renaming the Bells line of road the B52 or what ever

Sure you voted for them.

LABOR in this state - IF in power,- would have dutifully carried out the same NATIONAL program (which is towards a globalised system btw) as well.

Originally Posted by AWD Chaser

If they change the F3 to a Motorway, does that mean they can stick tolls on it?

NO sire, that was the old system used in NSW where old RTA called tollroads 'motorways', and non tollroads 'freeways' (if they were of that spec).

The possibility of tolls being added to ANY road network, (as suggested by some as a way of paying for say the Pacific upgrade completion - REM by 2016. Btw - can't see it happening on time, too much work and too few years and dollars) does not effect national route numbers or M/A/B category specification.

I have suggested use of the SYMBOLIC "statrt freeway" and "end freeway" signs at the relevant designation points.

Originally Posted by bobwm

It is only named "Hume Motorway" as far as Berrima and "Hume Highway" the rest of the way, but it carries the M31 designation the entire distance... There's pretty much full grade separation up until Berrima isn't there?

Spoke with chap today re all this, and he feels as I, that the "M" designation should only apply to dual-carriageways meeting "full freeway specification", meaning much of the Hume would become A31, where A is a road of national significance NOT built to freeway engineering specification, even though it is a high-standard dual carriageway. So the HUME will carry both M and A designations and route number 31.

As you allude, full-freeway roads/lengths, NOT bearing "intersections" but only "grade seperated interchanges", will carry the "M" designation and route number.

We discussed the F3 to Branxton 'expressway' under construction, and decided in conversation that this road will carry the "M" designation, as it is a full freeway specification road, that will connect to the existing dual carriageway from Branxton for a run of 14 or so kilometres, from this connection it'll fall back to an "A" designation - taking into account the lengths INTERSECTIONS. Unknown at this stage- the roads numeral designation.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Fiesta_Man69

Instead of spending $20 million on blackspots, potholes etc. it's doing this.... .

yeah, there's plenty of highways needing decent work. $20 million would put in a replacement bridge or fix a lot of potholes.

That said, victoria's sorted out their highway numbering system quite well. i wonder how much it cost to put vibrato paint along every km of highway? (the lines that make noise if you drive on them)

[ivorya]

Originally Posted by AWD Chaser

If they change the F3 to a Motorway, does that mean they can stick tolls on it?

Funny you should mention this because, a number of weeks ago, they (Duncan Gay and His Boss) mentioned toll's on all these roads being introduced to reclaim money.

I don't have a problem with tolls to build roads but once built they should be removed. As we;ve seen with all Govenments though, this will never happen.

[EB#]

Originally Posted by HULK EF

Government may as well have stock piled money bon fires....

A few more examples:
1. The RTA is now called the RMS, Roads and Maritime Service.
2. The Department of Commerce is now called Public Works.
(This is a good one..... that's the old name they used to have FFS !)
3. North Coast Area Health Service which used to be called Northern
Rivers Area Health Service is now called Northern NSW Local Health District.
4. Department of Fair Trading is now called NSW Fair Trading.

New printed stationery (yep they still use it!), business cards, signage,
branding, counters and shop fitouts, websites and on it goes.

Pack of morons the lot of them, Liberal or Labor!
A monumental waste of money !

[Dr Smith]

Funny, Vic did this years ago and hardly a mention. It's far easier saying take the A780, turn left at C781 then take the Dandenong-Hastings Rd, left at the Baxter-Tooradin Rd. Sure the locals won't like it but it's not the locals that get lost and then drive 20kays below the speed limit looking at signage rather concentrating on the trafic in front or behind.

[DJM83]

Let's not turn this into a political thread thanks.

[malazn mafia]

Speaking of name changes, Roads Minister Duncan Gay might do well with a name change himself.