Mine Affected Roads Network Plan. Neil Pope. Director Community Infrastructure Muswellbrook Shire Council

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1 Mine Affected Roads Network Plan Neil Pope Director Community Infrastructure Muswellbrook Shire Council

2 Context Muswellbrook is located in the Hunter Valley 130km from the Port of Newcastle; one of the biggest coal export ports in the world; currently shipping ~150,000 Mt pa and growing.

3 Context Surrounded by the Great Eastern Ranges and National Parks, the Hunter Valley is known for the: horse studs; vineyards; olive groves; dairies and other rural industries, which thrive here.

4 Context The rural land use operates alongside major open-cut mines and power stations.

5 Mining Boom Muswellbrook productive mine capacity rose from 4Mt pa in 2001 to 62Mt pa in Further expansion is being planned, although the current economic climate has caused delays to investment. This rapid expansion needed planning for the direct access infrastructure; but also for the urban and industrial growth that it generated; a major challenge for a small rural council. Council is not the consent authority; these are State significant Developments; however, Council took a very strong role in planning and negotiating outcomes.

6 Road Planning 1997 When this expansion was being planned in the 1990 s, Council invested in the Western Roads Strategy (ERM Mitchell McCotter, 1997). This informed decisions around the Bengalla, Mangoola and Mt Pleasant applications. Mt Pleasant has not commenced; and Castlerock Rd and Wybong Rd remain open.

7 Road Planning 2012 As more mine proposals emerged and mining investment plans changed, the 1997 Plan became less and less relevant.

8 Road Planning 2012 Several major proposed road deviations caused the plan to be reviewed. The mines are generally progressing westward, proposing to mine through roads. The resulting cumulative impacts of the network efficiency were becoming a concern.

9 Conceiving the Mine Affected Roads Network Plan Project This study will inform road planning and investment decisions worth well in excess of $100M; so, it requires considerable engagement from key stakeholders to be ultimately accepted Council and staff have maintained strong professional relationships with all the mining companies; and with with the DoP and RMS despite robust negotiation at times. We were able to ask the seven mining companies and the State Government for financial assistance. This quickly resulted in $300,000 in contributions with Council funding the balance.

10 Stage 1 - Scope Stage 1 a) Document review; b) Traffic Modelling to determine the baseline; c) Traffic forecasting in relation to 20 and 40 year growth scenarios; d) Analysis of route options; and a) Preparation of a Road Network Plan

11 Stage 1 Traffic Modelling - baseline SkyHigh Traffic Data undertook origindestination surveys in the district around Muswellbrook. The field method involved the use of video equipment to collect images of vehicles numberplates at sixteen twodirectional stations. The OD work was supplemented with conventional classification counts. The model was developed and calibrated against existing historical count records; and a number of growth rate forecasts.

12 Stage 1 Traffic Modelling - growth Extensive discussion was necessary to estimate future mine plans. This is by no means certain, and so the plan needed to be flexible. However, it was necessary to predict traffic growth scenarios. Background traffic growth was estimated from the Hyder (2009) report and Census data.

13 Stage 1 Road Network Scenarios Several network options were considered in each precinct. The Steering Committee narrowed these options using a Multi Criteria Analysis. Conceptual cost estimates were prepared for the new options and the previously approved re-alignments

14 Stage 1 Road Network Scenarios From this, a refined set of network options were developed for further consideration and consultation.

15 Stage 1 Road Network Scenarios There is a loss of transport efficiencies in the legacy network. Where a transport efficiency is diminished by a mine road diversion, there should be an attempt to minimize the impact; but where inevitable there shall be compensation.

16 Stage 2 - Scope Stage 2 Implementation Strategy; and Funding Plan

17 Stage 2 Triggers Where possible, the initial capital roadworks are being linked to triggers. Some capital upgrade work, and some capital maintenance will be pooled and shared on a fair basis.

18 Stage 2 - Triggers The timing and responsibility for the implementation of the proposed road network improvements are directly linked to the various mine approvals in light of the current circumstances. Extracts from Table Sec 6.3 Pg 71 The aim is to minimise the pool of major capital works and land acquisitions to be funded by contributions by, where possible, linking a section of work to a particular mining development that Triggers the requirement. Link Comments Priority/ Timing Construct Southern Link Road (Wybong Road to Bengalla Link Road) Upgrade Roxburgh and Wybong Road connections to Bengalla Link Road realignment Connect Castlerock to Dorset Road and upgrade to local standard A pre-requisite to the closure of Wybong Road, in lieu of the proposed Western Link Road previously proposed, in the Mt Pleasant Mine application. Responsibility of the Bengalla Mine modification (approval 2015) By Mt Pleasant Mine prior to the closure of the section of Castlerock Road within the extraction area. High Priority/ Medium Term High Priority/ Medium Term High Priority/ Medium Term

19 Case Study Thomas Mitchell Drive Thomas Mitchell Drive is 10.5km long and connects the New England Highway to Denman Road and is the primary access to the mines and the industrial area. The road was of a rural standard and nearing the end of its economic life after earlier minor upgrades to serve the immediate needs of mine access 15 years ago. Council took a stand and said that it could not support further mine expansions unless this situation was addressed.

20 Case Study Thomas Mitchell Drive The work mainly involved: - Formation and shoulder widening; - Safety upgrades; - Stabilisation and overlay of existing central pavement; and - Some drainage The design was completed and the estimated cost of the renewal and upgrade was $18M, to be done in four prioritised stages. Council funded the first three stages of the project as follows: $3M in contributions from the Mt Arthur expansion; $4M loan from the Mt Arthur expansion to be paid back from contributions from other mines; Special Variation Rate that raised $360,000pa from the mine rates for this work for 10 years; and $4M grant from Hunter Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF).

21 Case Study Thomas Mitchell Drive A contributions strategy and funding plan was required to fairly distribute costs Traffic Forecast Total traffic (veh-km) Mangoola Bengalla Mount Arthur Drayton Total Concurrent with the broader MARN Plan, NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DP&E) engaged consultants GHD to establish a contributions framework and allocate funding to the upgrade and ongoing capital maintenance of Thomas Mitchell Drive. This work was just completed on 28 May Light 36,334 3% 7% 28% 4% 44% Heavy % 9% 38% 7% 58% All 40,494 3% 8% 29% 4% 42% This plan establishes the % use of Thomas Mitchell Drive by each of the Mangoola, Bengalla, Mount Arthur and Drayton mines. This data was used to develop a contributions framework that logically established a basis for allocating whole of life funding.

22 Case Study Thomas Mitchell Drive TMD Contributions Model - Hybrid The challenge became how to develop a hybrid contribution model to fairly attribute the costs: Minimum cross section required to meet the requirement of all non-mine traffic. Additional cross section required to accommodate the mine traffic. Note: Cross-section includes both formation and pavement

23 Case Study Thomas Mitchell Drive TMD Contributions Model - Hybrid Ultimately this modelling estimates that 39.1% of cost should be allocated to the four mines, based on the ESAkm. Apportionment was then applied to the total upgrade costs including: I&D, Project Management; formation; drainage; pavements and safety devices etc. The same apportionment will be applied to future capital maintenance works required over the lifecycle.

24 Conclusion - Mine Affected Roads Network Plan Project Conclusion The work done by GHD for DoP on TMD will help inform Stage 2 of the Mine Affected Roads Network Plan (MARN Plan ). The MARN Plan will inform road planning and investment decisions worth well in excess of $100M. It required considerable engagement from key stakeholders to be ultimately accepted Strong professional relationships with all the mining companies; and with the DoP and RMS have been key. Any Questions?. Without trust, respect and collaboration from the stakeholders this project would not have progressed

25 Questions - Mine Affected Roads Network Plan Project Any Questions?