AusRAP Report: NSW has worst roads, ACT best

[AWD Chaser]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=333979

"To think that the Pacific Highway has stretches that are two-star rated is just absolutely deplorable.

"We should aspire to have five-star roads in NSW, not two-star road on our major highways.

"Each year the commonwealth government gets $14 billion from motorists in fuel excise, the state government collects several billion dollars a year in licence and registration fees and a few hundred million dollars in fines," he said.

"If that was all put back into safer roads then we would all be better off and we'd see less deaths on the roads."

Mr Evans said a $5 billion commitment from the new federal government was not enough.

[Fairlane]

Seeing it all over the news. Iam not surprised one bit.

NSW highways suck, every one talks about the Pacific which is ofcourse awful, but they're are some that are even worse and the less said about NSW State Mainroads the better.

[DivHunter]

Most people had already figured that out, just drive from Melb to Canberra to Sydney, no need for signs when you cross borders you can feel it in your spine.

[sgt_doofey]

I am totally surprised that SA didn't top the list. We have some absolute shockers, and I have to drive them every day!

[Sourbastard]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

I am totally surprised that SA didn't top the list. We have some absolute shockers, and I have to drive them every day!

Yeah the A20 is pretty crap, as is the A32. You drive the roads in the barossa enough, and you quickly work out where the potholes & dips are.

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by sourbastard

You drive the roads in the barossa enough, and you quickly work out where the potholes & dips are.

That is, until new ones form due to the trucks driving along them. Vintage is coming up, so one can assume the number of trucks and tractors on the road is going to increase, so more potholes to try and avoid!

[Shaggzy]

I did a few hundred km's on the pacific a couple of months back in a 28 a model and the old hotrod bottomed out a few times in potholes. The road is an absolute shocker for a major highway. I'd Hate to be a truck driver driving along it every day!!

[Casablanca]

i know what you mean i did a road trip down there last new years and almost lost my car in the wet and potholes it was F#(%ed.

[Nostalgia]

Ive never been to NSW or ACT but if the roads are worse than down here in Geelong (potholia) then they must be pretty bad.

[HTCURRY]

The shame about the ACT having the best roads is that, unfortunately we dont have drivers that do our roads justice.

Form one lane or Lane Merges in the ACT mean....

Brake as hard as you can at the last moment , and backup traffic for the next 500 metres.

Getting on and off the parkway is an adventure.

[Shaggzy]

Originally Posted by NostalgEA

Ive never been to NSW or ACT but if the roads are worse than down here in Geelong (potholia) then they must be pretty bad.

Yeah id say the Pacific in places is alot worse than geelong roads

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Fairmont99

Most people had already figured that out, just drive from Melb to Canberra to Sydney, no need for signs when you cross borders you can feel it in your spine.

Took the words right out of my mouth mate. Ive drivin from my old home (Albury) to Canberra numerous times and everytime i said that exact same thing soon as u cross the NSW/ACT border its smooth as a babies bum when you get into the ACT. Except you just drive around in circles there : :

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by HTCURRY

The shame about the ACT having the best roads is that, unfortunately we dont have drivers that do our roads justice.

Form one lane or Lane Merges in the ACT mean....

Brake as hard as you can at the last moment , and backup traffic for the next 500 metres.

Getting on and off the parkway is an adventure.

X10000000000000000000000 :

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by HTCURRY

The shame about the ACT having the best roads is that, unfortunately we dont have drivers that do our roads justice.

Form one lane or Lane Merges in the ACT mean....

Brake as hard as you can at the last moment , and backup traffic for the next 500 metres.

Getting on and off the parkway is an adventure.

Issues with lane-start and end treatments are noted for some primary ACT roads, but really this is a national standards 'thing' - to be corrected.

Folk can over the next few years expect improved road building standards, additional median barriers (to be a virtual mandatory feature), wider 'left' shoulders, particularly for motorway categories. This should better accomodate higher speed allowances in some circumstances, and will of course improve national productivity.

AUSRAP:-
http://www.ausrap.org/ausrap/

Vehicle 'mandatory equipment listings' will enhance, another issue.

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by BMX_datto

I did a few hundred km's on the pacific a couple of months back in a 28 a model and the old hotrod bottomed out a few times in potholes. The road is an absolute shocker for a major highway. I'd Hate to be a truck driver driving along it every day!!

Drove to Sydney maybe 18 months ago along the Pacific, in the top half of NSW we were passed by *cough* 100k speed limited b-doubles. These guys had to be sitting on 140, I dont think they mind the road to be honest.

[GasoLane]

Like we needed Ch 9 to tell us something every Truckie has known for the last 25 or so years!

[jimmy_c]

I agree with this comment NSW has the worst roads. Still driving to brisbane from Sydney / Newcastle. We have single lane / pothole filled stretches that resemble a goat track let alone a bloody national highway.

I have respect for the Heavy Vehicle Drivers that have to do battle with idiots in cars and a road that is shitful.

ACT having the best roads I am not surprised.

[Steffo]

Parramatta Road and Canterbury Road in Sydney make up for any other good road NSW could possibly have. Those two alone make certain we will always be rated the worst. :

To add a third nasty to that list... Lyons Road that goes from Victoria Road at, Drummoyne? (just before the Gladesville Bridge) to Concord if you follow it all the way. Between Victoria Road and Great North Road, Five Dock it is an absolute shocker.

[Lukeyson]

they could have paid me to tell them NSW has the worst roads

[FlipXW]

Our Family does the trip between Newcastle to Queensland atleast once a year. There is now only a few small stretches of the Pacific hwy in this distance that i would rate bad. Over the last 7 or so years the trip has decreased close enough to 3 hours now only taking about 7 1/2 hours on a good run. The upgrades i have seen in the last few years is great IMO. The way its heading it will be full dual lanes nearly the whole way in less than 10 years.

[EBII Fairmont]

Just got back yesterday from my trip up to NSW. Was mainly living in Lake Munmorah. But I did drive up to Byron Bay along the Pacific. I was very disappointed with the state of the roads. Drive along the Hume on the Victorian side was alright. The moment you pass the border into NSW itd changes and not for the best. At least parts of the Hume on the NSW end are being constructed.

I just never thought a major highway in Australia would be that poor.

[deesun]

Originally Posted by PhilXR8

Our Family does the trip between Newcastle to Queensland atleast once a year. There is now only a few small stretches of the Pacific hwy in this distance that i would rate bad. Over the last 7 or so years the trip has decreased close enough to 3 hours now only taking about 7 1/2 hours on a good run. The upgrades i have seen in the last few years is great IMO. The way its heading it will be full dual lanes nearly the whole way in less than 10 years.

Geez Phil. I wish I was driving on the Pacific Hwy you drive on as to the one I drive on. I will say the road from Newcastle to Port Macquarie is great and has improved immensly in the last 15 years since I moved to Mid NC. Only 2 sections which are currently being worked on are single lane. As for PM north its a shambles. VERY FEW dual lane sections between Kempsey and Byron. Though a reasonable amount of overtaking lanes. No town is bypassed yet, be it small or large and some sections have schools on them meaning slow to 40kph during certain times. Thats 40kph on a national highway where B doubles are the norm at 100kph. Yes it has improved north a little but the improvements are too few and too little. So far I have driven it about 5 times this year and I only wish it was that good. And the same goes for QLD as for VIC as soon as you drive into NSW from either state the road turns to 5h1t. I hope Kevin can do a lot better than Johnny but I doubt it.

[FlipXW]

Originally Posted by deesun

Geez Phil. I wish I was driving on the Pacific Hwy you drive on as to the one I drive on. I will say the road from Newcastle to Port Macquarie is great and has improved immensly in the last 15 years since I moved to Mid NC. Only 2 sections which are currently being worked on are single lane. As for PM north its a shambles. VERY FEW dual lane sections between Kempsey and Byron. Though a reasonable amount of overtaking lanes. No town is bypassed yet, be it small or large and some sections have schools on them meaning slow to 40kph during certain times. Thats 40kph on a national highway where B doubles are the norm at 100kph. Yes it has improved north a little but the improvements are too few and too little. So far I have driven it about 5 times this year and I only wish it was that good. And the same goes for QLD as for VIC as soon as you drive into NSW from either state the road turns to 5h1t. I hope Kevin can do a lot better than Johnny but I doubt it.

I have to admit its about the only stretch iv'e often been on.
Ive only been south of sydney about 10 times (To Perisher) (Never been to VIC) and only as far north as Brisbane. So perhaps im not sure what a good stretch of road is like .

[AWD Chaser]

Depends where you get off the parkway. Getting off into Kambah isn't an issue for me - lol I just hate the merge one lane going into fyshwick near the canturf fields after the set of lights there.... It's a drag race to be the first to merge...

I just can't belive that this report missed out the Monaro highway.... I would say no stretch of it should earn more then two stars...

[xbgs351]

Originally Posted by NostalgEA

Ive never been to NSW or ACT but if the roads are worse than down here in Geelong (potholia) then they must be pretty bad.

You need to travel more. Geelong has excellent roads.