Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

From the Northconnex May update.

Commissioning and testing continues
Over the coming months, the team will be continuing
to carry out thousands of tests to ensure every system,
piece of equipment and structure is ready to go before
we open.

Heard that it is likely that the tunnel will open at end of June provided testing does not show up issues.

I drove past the tunnel entrance on Pennant Hills Rd this arvo. It’s looking close to finished with lane markings, plants, etc. A lot of finishing touches.

Yep... everything is looking pretty close. You can even ride into the cyclist tunnel on the east bound exit ramp... but I tried that a couple weeks ago and there was a chain link barrier at the other end.

I'm going to ride Naremburn to Castle Hill on Sunday... the M2 cycleway is still closed both ways between Windsor and PH Rd requiring that bloody detour as per the last 3 years right?

It is officially closed, but pretty much ready to open. I ride it regularly. It is completely safe (as before work) and there are no construction works that put you in the traffic (except at the toll gates for a few metres where there are side barriers). As of yesterday arvo they had not opened the cycling tunnel in the west bound direction that goes under the two exiting traffic lanes at PHR (but they were doing work on it). I assume the overpass in the eastbound direction is also not open. This means if you want to pass through PHR without entering or exiting you have to cross two entry/exit lanes making it a lot more challenging than a normal M2 entry/exit. I am lucky I live near PHR/M2, so I am always getting on/off there. If I wanted to travel through at the moment, I would exit and re-enter in each direction at PHR. I see police on there regularly and none have had an issue with me riding.

I ride the M2 westbound (PHR-> Windsor) yesterday, by exiting and re-entering. No issue at all, shoulder all the way. If you take the underpass below PHR, there are roughly 100m without the shoulder. Then there is chevron for stopping before crossing on-ramp if needed.

M2 eastbound (Windsor -> PHR) is even better. Shoulder all the way as of now. However, it is required to cross two traffic lanes when crossing PHR off-ramp.

Do note there is a lot of active construction during weekday night when I drove past last week.

I stuck with the detour, as there were big "no cycling" signs at the PH Red westbound on-ramp, and it always worries me if I have or cause an accident, what that'll do to my liability insurance.

Where are the signs? I have not seen them there. But I come down the hill from pennant hills and turn right with the traffic. It can get a bit hectic, so I may have just been concentrating on other things.

The sign east bound at winsdosr rd says it is closed to cyclists until 2019. Being 2020.....

Heard from another source today that problems means testing will be another 2 or 3 months. Seems like tunnel ready but services need remediation and thus more testing.

Heard over the weekend that the tunnel is opening in roughly two weeks. Heading north from pacific hwy onto m1 it doesn’t seem like much is left to finish.

Anyone have more info as to opening?

https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/ ... completion
It still seems to depend on results from testing.

nathg wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:03 pm

Heard over the weekend that the tunnel is opening in roughly two weeks. Heading north from pacific hwy onto m1 it doesn’t seem like much is left to finish.

Anyone have more info as to opening?

The nine kilometre NorthConnex twin tunnel motorway is expected to open in the third quarter of 2020.

Source: https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/business-ind ... index.html

Someone created a segment for the new overpass on Strava and I think I have seen some people using that segment:

https://www.strava.com/segments/24421737?filter=overall

So not sure if it has been open at some point.

vosadrian wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 24, 2020 11:30 am

https://www.strava.com/segments/24421737?filter=overall

They're old efforts basically along the old cycleway. Mine is on there from 2015.

And they are pretty impressive efforts. I can do some speed along there but almost 80kmh? Methinks a GPS glitch.

Strava segments pickup anything near it, but I did see a few weeks ago I saw someone who did indeed seem to have taken the overpass. And whoever made the segment must have been over it. I think it was open for a while. Not sure if it is now.

So... the M2 and Northconnex websites no longer mention the detour and the Northconnex site now shows this page: https://www.northconnex.com.au/using-no ... hared-path

Does this mean that it's open again? As soon as it is, I'm keen to do some M2/M7 rides.

I rode the M2 on Tuesday and there is no change I could see from prior rides. I did not try to ride the bicycle tunnel under the PHR exit (east bound), but there are still traffic cones and barriers there suggesting it is blocked. So I don't think anything is open yet, but it has to be close right??

Anyone know anything about the Oaks rd access points? I had not heard anything about them previously. I have not noticed anything regarding them in cycling on the M2 past Oaks Rd in either direction. Maybe I am blind?

vosadrian wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 01, 2020 3:16 pm

I rode the M2 on Tuesday and there is no change I could see from prior rides. I did not try to ride the bicycle tunnel under the PHR exit (east bound), but there are still traffic cones and barriers there suggesting it is blocked. So I don't think anything is open yet, but it has to be close right??

Anyone know anything about the Oaks rd access points? I had not heard anything about them previously. I have not noticed anything regarding them in cycling on the M2 past Oaks Rd in either direction. Maybe I am blind?

The Oakes Rd access path is just on the shops side of the tunnel, right next to the path for the pedestrians that goes up to the bus stop. Last time I drove past, it was still behind a wire fence, but this was admittely some time ago. I am heading that way tomorrow to pick up my staff drinks order so I will have a look.

I pass by the Oakes Rd access path during the school runs. It was still locked as of last week. No idea about east bound under PHR though.

So is the Oaks rd access only to get on westbound? Can you get off at Oaks rd if you are coming from the same direction eastbound (so from seven hills going over Oaks rd towards PHR exit)? I ride that section of the M2 often and I have not noticed and place to get off. I also ride on westbound and never noticed that entrance.... but that area is still barriered off for the North connex entrance, so unlikely I have cycled near it yet.

So, I went past it today and the Oakes Rd entry/exit for the Westbound Lane is still behind a locked gate.
I don’t think there is an eastbound Oakes Rd entry/exit...at least I have no seen one.

Likewise, the new shared path along Pennant Hills Rd at the M2 to Eaton Rd is ready to go, but is also still blocked off behind a wire fence. That will be a welcome reintroduction for me as the eastern side path along the golf course is rubbish.

We’re supposed to start transitioning back into the office in November. I’ll be on holidays from the first week of December so it’s only a few weeks of commuting this year for me, if anything. Maybe the tunnel will be open before the end of the year!

queequeg wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 02, 2020 11:05 pm

So, I went past it today and the Oakes Rd entry/exit for the Westbound Lane is still behind a locked gate.
I don’t think there is an eastbound Oakes Rd entry/exit...at least I have no seen one.

Interesting they would only do it one way, but I certainly have not seen any evidence of anything east bound near oaks rd when riding the M2.

Bicycle NSW FB page says official word is "when the Northconnex opens - in a few weeks."

This morning noticed the overhead sign on Pennant Hills road (Normanhurst) was lit up saying the tunnel was closed.