Wyong Pacific Highway Upgrade

HillPDA completed several components in relation to the assessment of four different options for the widening and upgrade of the Pacific Highway through Wyong Town Centre including:

•  The business impact assessment (which included the measurement of trading impacts due to loss of car parking spaces, acquisition/removal of local businesses and access changes/loss of convenience.
• The socio-economic impact assessment (identification of affected parties and levels of impact including property impacts, impacts on social infrastructure, heritage, accessibility and connectivity, amenity, health and safety, social cohesion, etc) and
• The cost benefit analysis (including capital costs and the quantification of externalities such travel time savings, safety (accident cost savings), vehicle operating costs, business and social impacts).

Our value add

Cost benefit studies in main road proposals rarely include externalities like land use business, social and environmental impacts.  In this case we were able to include some of these into the econometric modelling. Also adverse impacts (particularly on businesses) were identified and quantified early which enabled options to be further refined to mitigate the impacts.

Outcome

A comprehensive evaluation of options for the road widening and upgrade of the Pacific Highway through the Wyong town centre.

Services:

• Social and economic impact assessment
• Business impact assessment
• Cost benefit analysis in accordance with NSW Treasury Guidelines

Client: SMEC Australia Pty Ltd
Project date:April 2014 –  July 2015

For more information, contact Adrian Hack, Principal