OVER 120 trees have been identified for removal along the M1 Princes Motorway between Waterfall and Picton Road, and along the Appin Road, as part of a $3.5 million Transport for NSW vegetation maintenance program.

Transport for NSW said the maintenance program will target key corridors in the state’s south to improve the resilience and safety of the state’s road network.

Transport for NSW Regional Director South, Cassandra Ffrench, said the NSW Government’s $19 million Bushfire Corridor Resilience Project under the Regional and Outer Metropolitan – Network Resilience Program has identified and prioritised areas on the state road network where there’s a need to build greater resilience to bushfire and other extreme weather events.

---

Facts and figures

• Forty nine (49) trees have been identified for removal and 11 for pruning from Illawarra Street at Appin to the M1 Princes Motorway at Cataract.
• Eighty four (84) trees have been identified for removal and 26 for pruning on the M1 Princes Motorway in both directions from Picton Road at Cataract to Waterfall.
• A total of 330 trees have been identified to be removed along 330-kilometres of the Princes Highway from Falls Creek to Conjola and Lake Tabourie to the Victorian Border.
• One hundred and forty eight (148) trees have been identified for removal and 44 for pruning along the Hume Highway and Hume Motorway from Goulburn to Douglas Park.

---

“Almost 700 dead and decaying trees have been identified for removal along the Princes Highway on the south coast, the M1 Princes Motorway in the Illawarra, the Hume Highway through the southern tablelands, and Appin Road on the outskirts of Sydney,” Ms Ffrench said.

“By removing or trimming the dead and damaged trees we can reduce the possibility of roadside bushfire and network interruptions due to falling trees, boost road safety during the bushfire season, and improve sight distances for motorists.”

Ms Ffrench said Transport for NSW is committed to limiting the impact to the local environment whilst ensuring optimal operation and safety of the road network.

“Specialist arborists were engaged to inspect thousands of trees along these key corridors.

“The trees identified during inspections have been found to be either dead or in poor condition from natural ageing and decay.

“As part of our commitment to environmental sustainability, throughout this project we will protect fauna with identified habitats and offset the tree removal through programs such as reusing log waste as mulch and log hollows on other projects.”

Vegetation maintenance work will be carried out from 19 May. Traffic control will be in place during work for the safety of workers and road users. The community will be advised of traffic impacts prior to work starting at each location.

Free subscription to The Bulli & Clifton Times

OR DONATE BY CREDIT CARD

Don’t have PayPal? Instead, you can support The Bulli & Clifton Times by leaving a secure $2 debit or credit card donation. Your generous patronage of my work and research, however small it appears to you, will greatly help with my continuing publication costs.