McLachlan Street, MACLEAN - Upgrading the road for everyone!

Community Consultation Update: Construction Begins 29th April, 2025.

We're excited to announce that construction will begin on 29th April and continue through to late September 2025. During this time, the intersection of McLachlan Street and Argyle Street will be closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Detour routes will be in place, and local residents will continue to have access to their properties.

Planning for the next stage is currently underway, and consultation will be out soon. Please click here for further information.

We want to thank everyone for their valuable feedback during the planning phase of the project. Please continue to reach out with any questions or concerns throughout the construction period via email at Capitalworkscivil@clarence.nsw.gov.au

Your input has been instrumental in shaping the following updates to the project design:

• A formal bus bay will be created along Argyle Street to provide a safe drop-off point for school & community buses, enhancing safety for children accessing the Maclean Olympic Pool.
• The planned kerb extension at the unmarked crossing on McLachlan Street was removed and replaced with a kerb ramp near the intersection, ensuring better connection to the pool and the Argyle St footpath.
• The footpath along Argyle Street will be extended, linking to the footpath at Centenary Drive and Argyle Street.
• The kerb build-out at the intersection, including the 'No Entry' will be extended along McLachlan St to replace the on-road section and create a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists traveling along McLachlan St.

For more information, please read on and view the final plan here.

This road upgrade is a key local priority, funded by the Australian Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program ($1.18 million) and an additional $185,000 from the Council's Active Transport Strategy to improve pedestrian and cyclist pathways.

The project focuses on improving the pavement at the McLachlan Street and Argyle Street intersection, including replacing a section of the storm water drain and adding subsoil drainage. Additional storm water pits will be installed for better runoff management and the final pavement level will be raised where feasible.

The intersection currently experiences subsidence from an old stormwater line, resulting in significant cracking. The pavement conditions are generally poor, particularly within the intersection itself. This deterioration has been attributed to a combination of factors, including settlement of service trenching, moisture ingress, and the stresses caused by heavy vehicle traffic. The new pavement will be constructed with densely graded asphalt to ensure greater durability.

As part of the project, a Heritage Assessment was carried out, followed by a Statement of Heritage Impact, to assess the significance of the existing stormwater drain. The drain includes a section of drystone wall, believed to date back to the late 1800s, which was altered during a 1930s upgrade. These modifications, including the construction of a suspended concrete footpath over the drain, diminished its heritage value.

The current state of the stormwater drain has significantly deteriorated and is no longer able to handle current or future stormwater loads. CCTV investigations revealed that past reinforcement efforts to the drainage line are failing in sections and blocking pits at the intersection, confirming the need for an upgrade. The existing stone-lined drain leaks water and doesn't meet modern engineering standards. However, the sandstone blocks will be recovered to be repurposed within the Maclean Heritage Conservation Area.

A key component of this project is to improve pedestrian and cyclist access by connecting the existing shared path from McLachlan Street tennis courts to Rotary Park, the Maclean Pool, and the nearby shopping precinct. To ensure a safe crossing point at the intersection, traffic flow on the eastern leg of Argyle Street will be modified to restrict entry, creating a safe space for shared path users to wait at the intersection. Currently, the shared path ends without a safe crossing point, and this upgrade will address this gap, providing a crucial link in the Active Transport Strategy along Argyle Street.

The project will be managed by Council's Civil Services Capital Works team, with subcontractors involved as needed to support the construction process.

We welcome your feedback and encourage you to stay informed as we work together to improve our local infrastructure and create safer, more accessible pathways for everyone.