Scotch College

Scotch College to press Transurban/Citylink on traffic noise reduction

Scotch College is examining all possible means, including possible legal action, to require Transurban/CityLink to meet higher noise protection standards than it currently intends.

Words: Tim Shearer • Editor Photography: Cloud 9

Scotch College is awaiting a detailed briefing from Transurban/CityLink revealing how the road’s operator proposes to limit traffic noise from the widened Monash tollway.

Transurban/CityLink is conducting complex modelling of expected noise levels from the expanded road and is expected to present the outcomes to Scotch before the end of May.

Transurban/CityLink has told Scotch that the widened tollway is expected to carry as many as 300,000 vehicles a day, compared with current volumes of about 160,000 vehicles per day.

The College is yet to receive assurances from Transurban/

CityLink that it will commit to providing significant improvement in noise reduction measures. It has only committed, so far, to provide noise barriers across Glenferrie Road and to maintaining the enhanced acoustic protection Scotch College paid for in 1998–99.

Scotch has engaged acoustics experts to verify the traffic noise data that Transurban/CityLink relies upon and to prepare a comprehensive response to help ensure the best possible noise protection for the school.

Scotch College is examining all means available to require Transurban/CityLink to meet higher noise protection standards than it currently intends.

During April, Transurban/CityLink and VicRoads briefed the College Council and senior administrative staff on its plans for the tollway widening.

Key points are:

• A strip of land up to 2.85 metres wide on the southern boundary of the Hawthorn campus will be acquired compulsorily to accommodate an extra lane of the southern link of the tollway. The loss of this land will significantly reduce the available playing space on the Melville Oval. An additional strip, about 11 metres wide, will be used for temporary construction purposes.
• New pylons for the elevated roadway will be built on the Scotch site and Gardiners Creek.
• The profile of the Gardiners Creek levee bank will be changed.
• Construction vehicles could commence accessing the grounds of Scotch as early as August. The formal process for compulsory acquisition of the land can take up to five months but Transurban/CityLink will likely request earlier access.
• Scotch College will consider this requests, as this could allow the most disruptive part of the construction work (i.e. the driving of piles for the pylons) to be done during the September holidays, rather than during the final school term.
• Transurban/CityLink intends to build a 4.5-metre-wide construction track across the southern edge of the College campus to provide access for construction vehicles during the building of the elevated roadway. This will devastate vegetation along the School’s southern boundary.
• Transurban/CityLink has undertaken to reinstate the land damaged during construction. Scotch College will assess and provide Transurban with its preferred options for reinstatement of the affected area.
• Transurban/CityLink claims fewer than 10 trees will have to be removed. Scotch College’s expert arborist estimates more than 100 trees are at risk and Scotch will demand full compensation for the loss of these vegetation assets and loss of amenity.

Alarmingly, the construction of the widened tollway will mean the loss of significant number of mature native trees, including river red gums.

College Principal, Dr Gordon Donaldson, said it was most unfortunate that Scotch was again facing the loss of a substantial parcel of land, but it was now of paramount importance to ensure the interests of the College were protected.

A committee of the College council, chaired by parent, Dr David Kemp, is preparing detailed plans on a range of issues to ensure Scotch College achieves the best possible outcomes in the tollway widening.

The school is determined to make sure the tollway widening has the least possible impact on the operations, environment and amenity of the College, both during construction and when the expanded road is in operation.

NOISE REDUCTION THE KEY ISSUE

Minimising traffic noise affecting the school site is the priority issue for Scotch, as noise levels in classrooms and outdoor areas significantly affect the quality of education that can be provided.

Matters remaining to be resolved include:

• Transurban/CityLink’s recognition of the acoustic measurement standard to be applied in designing the noise barrier around the School;
• Design features of the new noise wall to be built to meet the required acoustic standard (specifically, average and maximum height, construction materials and aesthetics, etc);
• The School’s need for enhanced noise walls to be built to protect school facilities including those near the Yarra River (which will also protect homes of adjacent neighbours);

School Council and Management of the School will continue to negotiate on these matters and a range of other issues with Transurban/CityLink, the Victorian Government and VicRoads during coming months.

We will keep you updated on these and other aspects of the tollway widening project through future editions of Great Scot.

You might also wish to visit the Scotch College website

www.scotch.vic.edu.au/tollway/tollway.htm for new information pages and for an online forum where we will ask you to provide the school administration and the Council with your feedback, ideas and opinions.

HOW SCOTCH IS MANAGING ITS RESPONSE TO THE TOLLWAY WIDENING

The College Council regards the planned tollway widening as the single greatest threat to the College’s operations and long-term security.

The Council is devoting considerable resources to ensure all risks posed by the tollway widening are identified and every possible measure is taken to protect the College’s interests.

The Council has appointed a committee to oversee the School’s response, chaired by parent Dr David Kemp. The committee is meeting regularly and members of the committee are involved in direct negotiations with Transurban/CityLink, VicRoads and the State Government.

As well as working closely with the College’s legal advisers, the committee has appointed a range of expert advisers, including:

• Acoustic engineers to establish the College’s requirements for traffic noise protection;
• Structural and hydraulic engineers to assess Transurban/CityLink’s detailed construction plans and advise on any required changes and improvements;
• Architects to advise on the aesthetic design of new noise barriers;
• Landscape, planning and environment consultants to plan for reinstatement of the affected area of the campus;
• An arborist to help ensure as many trees as possible are protected; and
• A communications consultant to help the College administration keep the school community informed.

The College Bursar, Ross Congleton, and his staff are providing considerable administrative support in coordinating the various streams of work.

The College is providing a formal response to Transurban/CityLink on its preferences for scheduling of the construction program and for reinstatement of the construction track and affected area.

The College’s detailed response on traffic noise issues and design of new noise barriers is likely to be provided in late May or early June.