The RTA assessed that the large projected volume of traffic entering SJYC from the tunnel would increase congestion, unacceptably affect the privately operated Eastern Distributor (ED) and threaten safety on the Cahill Expressway, CCT and ED.
The RTA developed a solution that included:
■ a dedicated CCT exit lane with raised median strips going to the Harbour crossings and Macquarie Street. This meant that other traffic using SJYC could not get to the Harbour crossings
■ no access to the Domain Tunnel and the Sydney Harbour Tunnel from Cowper Wharf Roadway and Palmer Street. Traffic to these destinations would need to use the CCT exit at SJYC.
The DoP ordered the reinstatement of one of the two right hand turn lanes from Cowper Wharf Roadway to the Harbour crossings. This was after representations about the Supplementary EIS from local residents. But the other restrictions remained.
The RTA advised that installing the median strip on the Cahill Expressway was necessary for safety reasons - to stop cars cutting across other lanes. But it also has the effect of restricting access to the Harbour crossings for two of the former routes out of William Street: Riley and Palmer Streets. Therefore, the median strip had a secondary effect of forcing traffic wanting a convenient journey to use the tunnel, and so increased the financial viability of the CCT.