Pacific Highway: Sydney - Newcastle Freeway
The objective of this project was to record some of the personal stories behind the development of the Pacific Highway and the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, told by some of the people who were actually involved in the process and directly affected.
The major output of the study was 36 hours of taped interviews with people involved in all aspects of the development of the routes - planning, route location, survey, concept and detailed design, construction and maintenance activities. There are also interviews with three people who earned their living on the routes - a long-distance truck driver, a bus operator and a Highway Patrol officer.
There are interesting stories of the travelling conditions on the Pacific Highway before it was fully sealed and the growing need for improvements; day-to-day life in the work camps; the development of sophisticated surveying and route location tools; property acquisitions; increasing mechanisation of road construction; environmental challenges; bridges, ferries & floods; and road safety matters.
The opinions expressed in the oral history interview tapes are those of the individuals concerned and do not necessarily represent in whole or in part the position of Roads and Maritime Services.
Pacific Highway Newcastle Freeway - Sound files
CD1 and CD2
Full version of CD1
Full version of CD2
MP3
Part 1: Introduction/Recollections of the Pacific Highway and travel conditions
Real Media
Part 1: Introduction/Recollections of the Pacific Highway and travel conditions
MP3
Part 2: Observations of a new field assistant/work conditions/planning for a major deviation
Real Media
Part 2: Observations of a new field assistant/work conditions/planning for a major deviation
MP3
Part 3: Road location & surveying skills/road design procedures and equipment/aerial photography & photogrammetry/computerisation of road design/Geographic information systems
Real Media
Part 3: Road location & surveying skills/road design procedures and equipment/aerial photography & photogrammetry/computerisation of road design/Geographic information systems
MP3
Part 4: Need for improvements - climbing lanes & town bypasses/Life in the work camps
Real Media
Part 4: Need for improvements - climbing lanes & town bypasses/Life in the work camps
MP3
Part 5: Manual work/Construction equipment/Earthworks/Mechanisation of construction/materials - gravels, bitumen and concrete
Real Media
Part 5: Manual work/Construction equipment/Earthworks/Mechanisation of construction/materials - gravels, bitumen and concrete
MP3
Part 6: Increasing congestion north of Sydney/planning for Sydney-Newcastle Freeway/earthworks & construction challenges
Real Media
Part 6: Increasing congestion north of Sydney/planning for Sydney-Newcastle Freeway/earthworks & construction challenges
MP3
Part 7: Route of Sydney-Newcastle Freeway/the official opening/environmental constraints
Real Media
Part 7: Route of Sydney-Newcastle Freeway/the official opening/environmental constraints
MP3
Part 9: Road vs rail freight/growth in heavy vehicle usage/bus operation
Real Media
Part 9: Road vs rail freight/growth in heavy vehicle usage/bus operation
MP3
Part 10: Road safety/Road alignment standards/Enforcement/Bus accidents/Speed limits
Real Media
Part 10: Road safety/Road alignment standards/Enforcement/Bus accidents/Speed limits
MP3
Part 11: Guard rails/Road markings & signage/Environmental & heritage factors
Real Media
Part 11: Guard rails/Road markings & signage/Environmental & heritage factors
MP3
Part 12: Community relations & property acquisition/Blackspots/Benefits of the Highway/Remaining problems and unresolved issues
Real Media
Part 12: Community relations & property acquisition/Blackspots/Benefits of the Highway/Remaining problems and unresolved issues