The Transport Management Centre (TMC) will carry out a contra flow exercise on the F3 at Berowra later this month, in an effort to further improve traffic management during major incidents on the freeway.
Roads Minister Duncan Gay said the exercise would take place on Sunday 28 October between 5:30am and 9am with personnel from the TMC, Roads and Maritime Services and the NSW Police.
While the exercise takes place, all northbound traffic on the F3 will be transferred onto the southbound carriageway using a contra flow for a 1.5km stretch between the on- and off-ramps at Berowra.
Mr Gay said the TMC was committed to carrying out a contra flow exercise on the F3 each year, in response to recommendations from the Moroney Report.
"The exercise provides a unique opportunity to improve the ability of crews to respond to major incidents," he said.
"There are a number of different measures which have been introduced which allow us to better manage traffic flow on the F3 during critical incidents, and implementing contra flows is an important one.
"It is extremely rare that we need to use a contra flow, however having the opportunity to practice its implementation is crucial.
"The timing of the exercise has been chosen due to its low impact on road users, as the F3 typically carries low traffic volumes on Sunday mornings and the date falls outside of school holidays or long weekends."
State Member for Hornsby, Matt Kean MP, echoed Minister Gay's comments, stating that the exercise is important in preparing for a possible major road incident.
"It is vital that the TMC, RMS and NSW Police are prepared for a major road incident on the F3", Mr Kean said.
"Considering how busy the F3 is and how many residents use it, it is important that a contra flow exercise is carried out in order to prevent people's lives being adversely disrupted, should a major road incident occur in the future."
Traffic will be diverted from the F3 onto the Pacific Highway from 5:30am to 7am while the contra flow is implemented.
Between 7am and 8am, all northbound lanes will be closed with the contra flow being utilised in the southbound carriageway. There will be two northbound lanes and one southbound lane available.
The contra flow will start to be removed at 8am with southbound traffic again directed onto the Pacific Highway, with all lanes reopened in both directions by 9am.
Conducting an annual F3 contra flow exercise is one of 33 recommendations from the Moroney Report delivered in 2010.
All 33 recommendations have now been implemented, including the successful establishment of an F3 Field Response Unit.
The purpose-built depot, opened in 2011, is located just north of the Hawkesbury River Bridge and is used as a 24/7 operational base to respond to incidents.
