Lane Cove Council Acts on Dangerous Mowbray Road Lane Cove North Bend

In the Cove is now nine years old, and since we have been around, we have constantly received complaints about the number of accidents on Mowbray Road Lane Cove North.  There is a bend in the road near an unoccupied site that used to be a Caltex Service Station, and it is an accident hotspot.

Last week there were two major accidents at this bend on the same day.  Accidents usually occur when there has been rain.

The photo below shows the aftermath of the accident around 7.30 pm.  Mowbray Road was closed between Beaconsfield Rd and Roslyn St for a considerable period of time.  A roving report advised ITC that it appears a vehicle coming down the hill lost control on the corner in wet, spun around and sideswiped an oncoming vehicle.  A motorist was injured and taken to hospital.

In the Cove and numerous residents have raised this issue with Lane Cove Council for many years, and some patchwork attempts have been made to the road surface, and a sign installed asking people to slow down.

This bend and the River Road West /Bridge Street Bend were always accident sites in the rain.  The Lane Cove Council received black spot funding to upgrade the River Road West/Bridge Street.

Council applied for $97 000 under RMS black spot funding program for the following tasks:

• A skid-resistant surface at the bend of River Road West/Bridge Street.
• Installation of lane divider flaps to improve delineation.
• Installation of a raised threshold on Bridge Street (eastern side) to slow down motorists and to make them aware that there is a change in the road environment.
• Installation of a concrete median island with addition ‘stop’ signs and street names to further define the road environment.
• Repainting the existing lane line markings on the bend of River Road and Bridge Street.

Since these upgrades the number of accidents at this bend has declined dramatically.  You can read more here about this stretch of road.

However, for some reason, the Lane Cove Council has been slow to rectify the Mowbray Road slippery bend.

In 2018 a Lane Cove Spokesperson told ITC the following:

• High-friction surface on the bend and its approaches;
• Curve and Advisory Speed Signs on approaches; and
• Chevron Alignment Markers on the bend.

Here is another accident this morning – Ambos in attendance again.

The nub of the matter is:  Why is this corner that has had the same application as the other notorious corner, which was once dubbed the slipperiest corner in LC still a problem?  The River Road/Bridge St intersection is working so much better now?

I raised this at the August Lane Cove Council meeting.  Mowbray Road is the current hotspot.

An eyewitness said:  There is another one. This time went across the road and slammed into a car. I was on the balcony this time, no skidding sound, and he wasn’t speeding…”

Side Note:  ITC sent four emails to Lane Cove Council on 19 September 2019, each time advising of the accident and sending a photo.  Not long after this, we received a letter from Craig Wrightson Lane Cove Council General Manager advising that we were writing too many emails and they did not have the resources to deal with the issues ITC was raising.

Latest Information from Lane Cove Council

ITC again asked Lane Cove Council for information as to how they were going to make this road safer.  A Lane Cove Council spokesperson advised ITC the following:

“Council was successful in applying for Black Spot funding for remedial works to be undertaken at this bend in Mowbray Road. We have engaged a Consultant to develop a design and specification. Once these are complete Council will go out to tender for the works.

I trust this assists in confirming that there are further works to be completed.”

The Lane Cove Council elections are coming up on 4th December 2021, if you live in West Ward, make sure you ask your candidate what they will be doing to ensure that work on this part of Mowbray Road goes ahead promptly.  Read who has nominated for Lane Cove Council here.

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