Motorcyclists are being urged to slow down at roadworks on the Oxley Highway, NSW, between Mount Seaview and Gingers Creek where lower rub rails are being installed.
Transport for NSW Director North Region Anna Zycki says road crews are installing new guardrails and crash barriers and repairing drainage on the mountain section of the highway where the speed limit was controversially reduced to 80km/h in 2018.
“Work on the guardrail involves installing an extra protection rail below the existing guardrail and is designed to stop bikers involved in a crash from sliding into the steel posts,” she says.
“Crash barriers are proven to keep vehicles from crashing down embankments and into trees but their posts can be unforgiving if a motorcyclist loses control and slides into them.
“Unfortunately some riders have been ignoring temporary traffic lights set up to ensure the safety of road users and workers while these upgrades are under way.
“Our road crews have also reported riders speeding up to beat the orange light and speeding close by workers on the road.”
Ms Zycki says the installation of the protection rail follows consultation with “key motorcycle groups”.
Slow down for roadworks
“It’s disappointing to find some riders are putting in danger the teams who are working hard to provide them with extra protection along this popular route,” she says.
“All road users are urged to drive or ride to the conditions, and follow the directions of signs and traffic control at all times.”
Work is being carried out from 6.30am to 3.30pm on weekdays, with traffic reduced to one lane during work hours.
Transport for NSW thanks motorists for their patience during this time.
For the latest traffic updates download the Live Traffic NSW App, visit livetraffic.com or call 132 701.
The Oxley Highway will reopen to one lane of traffic by this weekend under strict speed management with the support of escort vehicles.
A 10km section between Ralfes Trail and the Gingers Creek store will be open to one lane of traffic with alternate flow under the control of escort vehicles from Transport for NSW.
One-lane section
The decision is a welcome relief for popular riders’ rest stop Gingers Creek Roadhouse owner Gary Hartas.
His cafe has been closed to business since the highway was shut by bushfires on 25 October 2019 between Walcha and Long Flat. He also lost the accommodation building to the bushfires.
Accommodation destroyed
Staff member Tiohnee Ford started a GoFundMe page to support Gary while no income has been coming in. It has raised more than $7000.
Highway reopen
Oxley in flames
While the highway will reopen, repair work is still underway and expected to continue for several weeks into 2020 under traffic control.
Riders should expect lengthy delays, which means sitting at lights for some time in the heat, so take water with you.
However, don’t be deterred. It is still worth it to ride the rest of the highway and to support Gary’s cafe which is a popular rest stop for riders.
These traffic arrangements will operate 24 hours a day and remain in place until the highway is fully reopen.
Traffic control and a reduced speed limit will be in place in other sections for the safety of workers and motorists.
As there is a risk of rocks or trees falling onto the road surface in the event of high winds or significant rainfall, Transport for NSW may close the highway again at short notice.
Burn-out retaining walls
Many roads in NSW and Queensland remain closed due to bushfires and subsequent damage.
The Cunningham Highway in South East Queensland, did temporarily reopen, but it has closed again.
The best survival tip for a bushfire is to avoid it.
Apart from the above, you can also check the automobile clubs’ websites for the relevant state, as well as transport department traffic sites.
Try searching the Facebook pages of local fire and police pages.
Of course, you can use your eyes to see where the smoke is and use your commonsense to gauge wind direction and potential fire direction.
However, don’t think you can outrun a bushfire. They can spread faster than any motorcycle can go, often jumping roadways, reducing your chance of survival.
Follow directions
It is not only stupid, but also unlawful to disobey a police or emergency services direction.
If you are told not to go down a road or there is a roadblock, you must not got that way.
The same goes for flood situations.
Don’t start a bushfire
Take notice of total fire ban signs and warnings as you don’t want to start a bushfire.
Fines are hefty and police have been severe in punishing offenders. Don’t expect a good-natured warning!
Riders should also be aware they can accidentally start a fire by parking their bike on dry grass or leaves.
Firefighters say about 40% of all bushfires are accidentally started by humans dropping cigarette butts, campfires, discarding bottles, sparks from machinery and motorcycles.
The catalytic convertor, which is often underneath, is the hottest part of your bike and can easily spark a fire.
Adventure riders who travel off road should take special care.
Caught in a bushfire
If you are caught in a bushfire, your phone (or EPIRB, beacon, etc) will be your best friend.
Work out where you are exactly and then contact police and emergency services to give them your location.
Park your bike behind a solid structure to block as much heat as you can.
Turn off your bike’s engine, but leave the lights and/or hazard lights on.
Stay near your bike, but not too close in case it goes up in flames.
Try to get down low, near a water source or below the level of the fire as they move faster uphill.
Also try to get upwind from a fire.
Dangers of bushfires
Riders are more vulnerable than motorists in cars because they have no air conditioning to regulate air and temperature.
The biggest dangers for riders are from smoke inhalation, low visibility and eye irritation from smoke.
Carry water with you to flush out sore eyes and to ensure you stay hydrated.
Tips to avoid dehydration in a heatwave:
Don’t drink too much alcohol the night before a ride. It has a diuretic effect which means it causes you to urinate more water than you take in which means you are losing fluid. And you can’t counteract that by drinking lots of water because most of it will go out in your urine. Obviously, don’t drink alcohol while you are riding!
Start drinking water as soon as you wake and keep sipping water right up until you get on your bike. It takes about half an hour for water to reach your muscles. Guzzling water just before a ride is not good as it can make your stomach to cramp. The Royal Flying Doctor Service which has attended dehydrated riders in the Outback, recommends carrying 10 litres of water per day! Read their Outback riding tips here.
Wear ventilated motorcycle clothing. Leathers may protect you better in a crash, but they create a “microclimate” which impairs your ability to lose heat. As a result you will produce more sweat to decrease your core temp. Instead, wear a flow-through jacket. There are heaps of options on the market. Make sure they have vents in the back so the air flows through. Also, loosen the sleeves so you get plenty of air on your wrists which have a lot of blood vessels close to the skin to effectively cool you down. However, be aware that a flow-through jacket cools you down because it is drying the sweat off your skin which can lead to dehydration. A set of Ventz up your sleeve will also keep you cool as air flows up your arms.However, don’t be fooled by your level of coolness as ventilation can also cause you to loose more water through evaporation. So you still need to keep drinking plenty of water.
Don’t be tempted to remove your jacket in the heat! Exposed skin may feel cooler, but that’s because the sweat is evaporating quicker, but that is just making you more dehydrated. And while your skin feels cool, you’ll be tricked into staying in the sun longer which leads to sunburn. That also leads to dehydration because your body needs water to repair and renew damaged skin.
Get a Camelbak or other brand of water-dispensing unit so you can continue to take small sips of water while you are riding. I’ve seen riders on GoldWings and other big tourers with cup holders so they can take slurps from a water bottle. That’s obviously not as safe as the hands-free Camelback option, but anything is better than nothing. Some people don’t like Camelbaks because the water gets hot, but the temperature of the water doesn’t affect dehydration.
Stop more often than usual and hang out in the shade or in an air-conditioned cafe. Since you are drinking lots of fluids, you will probably need to stop anyway!
While you’re stopped, have a coffee, but take it easy. No need to swear off your favourite caramel latte, but avoid excess coffee. That also goes for caffeinated drinks such as Red Bull. High levels of caffeine have a diuretic effect just like alcohol.
While having a coffee break, avoid having too many sweet cakes, donuts and muffins. Sugar can dehydrate you if it gets to very high levels in your blood. This can happen if you are a diabetic, take certain medications or have an infection or some organ diseases. Sugar causes your kidneys to produce more urine to eliminate the sugar, leading to dehydration. Likewise, don’t drink too many sugary drinks. Best to stick to plain water, real fruit juices with no added sugar or drinks such as Gatorade that replace salts and minerals lost in sweat.
We’ve talked a lot about urine and it’s important that you monitor the colour. It should be a straw colour. If it’s too dark, you are dehydrated.
Sweat also depletes your body of sodium and if it becomes too low, it can cause many of the same symptoms as dehydration. The average diet probably has enough sodium, but it’s good to have a little bit of salt on your meals or drink sports drinks that have a sodium supplement. However, beware of sports drinks with caffeine and sugar.
It will be at least four weeks before the bushfire-devastated Oxley Highway (above) is again open to traffic as seven Transport for NSW teams carry out extensive repair work.
The best survival tip for a bushfire is to avoid it.
Also check the automobile clubs’ websites for the relevant state, as well as transport department traffic sites.
Try searching the Facebook pages of local fire and police pages.
Of course, you can use your eyes to see where the smoke is and use your commonsense to gauge wind direction and potential fire direction.
However, don’t think you can outrun a bushfire. They can spread faster than any motorcycle can go, often jumping roadways, reducing your chance of survival.
Follow directions
It is not only stupid, but also unlawful to disobey a police or emergency services direction.
If you are told not to go down a road or there is a roadblock, you must not got that way.
The same goes for flood situations.
Don’t start a bushfire
Take notice of total fire ban signs and warnings as you don’t want to start a bushfire.
Fines are hefty and police have been severe in punishing offenders. Don’t expect a good-natured warning!
Riders should also be aware they can accidentally start a fire by parking their bike on dry grass or leaves.
Firefighters say about 40% of all bushfires are accidentally started by humans dropping cigarette butts, campfires, discarding bottles, sparks from machinery and motorcycles.
The catalytic convertor, which is often underneath, is the hottest part of your bike and can easily spark a fire.
Adventure riders who travel off road should take special care.
Caught in a bushfire
If you are caught in a bushfire, your phone (or EPIRB, beacon, etc) will be your best friend.
Work out where you are exactly and then contact police and emergency services to give them your location.
Park your bike behind a solid structure to block as much heat as you can.
Turn off your bike’s engine, but leave the lights and/or hazard lights on.
Stay near your bike, but not too close in case it goes up in flames.
Try to get down low, near a water source or below the level of the fire as they move faster uphill.
Also try to get upwind from a fire.
Dangers of bushfires
Riders are more vulnerable than motorists in cars because they have no air conditioning to regulate air and temperature.
The biggest dangers for riders are from smoke inhalation, low visibility and eye irritation from smoke.
Carry water with you to flush out sore eyes and to ensure you stay hydrated.
Tips to avoid dehydration in a heatwave:
Don’t drink too much alcohol the night before a ride. It has a diuretic effect which means it causes you to urinate more water than you take in which means you are losing fluid. And you can’t counteract that by drinking lots of water because most of it will go out in your urine. Obviously, don’t drink alcohol while you are riding!
Start drinking water as soon as you wake and keep sipping water right up until you get on your bike. It takes about half an hour for water to reach your muscles. Guzzling water just before a ride is not good as it can make your stomach to cramp. The Royal Flying Doctor Service which has attended dehydrated riders in the Outback, recommends carrying 10 litres of water per day! Read their Outback riding tips here.
Wear ventilated motorcycle clothing. Leathers may protect you better in a crash, but they create a “microclimate” which impairs your ability to lose heat. As a result you will produce more sweat to decrease your core temp. Instead, wear a flow-through jacket. There are heaps of options on the market. Make sure they have vents in the back so the air flows through. Also, loosen the sleeves so you get plenty of air on your wrists which have a lot of blood vessels close to the skin to effectively cool you down. However, be aware that a flow-through jacket cools you down because it is drying the sweat off your skin which can lead to dehydration. A set of Ventz up your sleeve will also keep you cool as air flows up your arms.However, don’t be fooled by your level of coolness as ventilation can also cause you to loose more water through evaporation. So you still need to keep drinking plenty of water.
Don’t be tempted to remove your jacket in the heat! Exposed skin may feel cooler, but that’s because the sweat is evaporating quicker, but that is just making you more dehydrated. And while your skin feels cool, you’ll be tricked into staying in the sun longer which leads to sunburn. That also leads to dehydration because your body needs water to repair and renew damaged skin.
Get a Camelbak or other brand of water-dispensing unit so you can continue to take small sips of water while you are riding. I’ve seen riders on GoldWings and other big tourers with cup holders so they can take slurps from a water bottle. That’s obviously not as safe as the hands-free Camelback option, but anything is better than nothing. Some people don’t like Camelbaks because the water gets hot, but the temperature of the water doesn’t affect dehydration.
Stop more often than usual and hang out in the shade or in an air-conditioned cafe. Since you are drinking lots of fluids, you will probably need to stop anyway!
While you’re stopped, have a coffee, but take it easy. No need to swear off your favourite caramel latte, but avoid excess coffee. That also goes for caffeinated drinks such as Red Bull. High levels of caffeine have a diuretic effect just like alcohol.
While having a coffee break, avoid having too many sweet cakes, donuts and muffins. Sugar can dehydrate you if it gets to very high levels in your blood. This can happen if you are a diabetic, take certain medications or have an infection or some organ diseases. Sugar causes your kidneys to produce more urine to eliminate the sugar, leading to dehydration. Likewise, don’t drink too many sugary drinks. Best to stick to plain water, real fruit juices with no added sugar or drinks such as Gatorade that replace salts and minerals lost in sweat.
We’ve talked a lot about urine and it’s important that you monitor the colour. It should be a straw colour. If it’s too dark, you are dehydrated.
Sweat also depletes your body of sodium and if it becomes too low, it can cause many of the same symptoms as dehydration. The average diet probably has enough sodium, but it’s good to have a little bit of salt on your meals or drink sports drinks that have a sodium supplement. However, beware of sports drinks with caffeine and sugar.
Popular Oxley Highway riders’ rest stop Gingers Creek Bush Resort is struggling after bushfires closed the road a month ago with clean-up keeping it closed indefinitely.
Owner and Ducati Hypermotard rider Gary Hartas says the bushfires burnt down their accommodation (above), but the cafe is untouched.
Bushfires burning just over the hill
“The shop is fine, just the accommodation down the back,” Gary says.
“The fires are still burning up the road. All the grass and highway around us is now burnt.
“The clean-up on the highway will take a while to clear up.”
So staff member Tiohnee Ford has started a GoFundMe page to support Gary while the road is closed and no income is coming in.
In the past coupe of days almost $2000 has been raised.
Water will be sprayed over the Oxley Highway in the next few days as the road melts even more in the current heatwave conditions.
The road began melting in December in 31C heat and is now melting even more as temperature soar higher.
Save the Oxley campaigner Ken Healey says the lines of molten tar are “right on the line your bike is going to take”.
In a short-term fix, the Roads and Maritime Services poured sand on the slippery melting tar last week. This prompted outrage from riders.
Motorcycle Council of NSW chairman Steve Pearce said it was “very disappointing to see this work without any consideration for motorcyclists”.
“You could easily come to the conclusion that Melinda Pavey doesn’t want motorcyclists to use this road, remember it was just a year ago when the speed limit was dropped,” he says.
Water to cool road
Now the RMS says Walcha Council will spray the melting road surface with water between Toms Creek and 85km west of Wauchope “due to extreme heatwave conditions”.
“Roads and Maritime Services acknowledge water is a scarce resource at this time, however it is required to ensure the safety of motorists and keep the road open,” a spokesperson says.
“Council will be monitoring the road and will use the water cart as required to cool the bitumen for the safety of all road users.
“Roads and Maritime is working with Walcha Council to identify and carry out further work in the coming weeks, taking into account appropriate weather conditions required for this treatment.
“Road users are reminded to take care and drive to conditions on all roads in northern and western NSW following extreme weather events.”
Speeds in affected areas will be reduced to 60km/h with variable message signs indicating the speed change and the affected road surface.
After the images were posted, RMS spread thick sand over the road in what independent road surface expert and rider Ian Kite says is a short-term fix only.
Melting tar cause
Ian Kite, a 40-year local government infrastructure manager and lecturer in road construction, pavement design and bitumen sealing says the technical term for melting tar is “bleeding”.
“The cause of the problem is the aggregate in the seal being completely submerged by the bitumen and allowing the tyres to make contact with the bitumen,” he says.
“This can be caused by a number of factors – usually a combination of several.”
How to fix the issue
Ian says sand is the “quickest/simplest/cheapest solution” in the short term to absorb the excess bitumen.
Sometimes fine aggregate or crusher dust is also applied.
“The bitumen adheres to the surface of the particles and is no longer free to stick to tyres or present a slick surface,” he says.
He says the photos of the road indicate a high application rate of sand resulting in a loose, unbound surface “not much better than the slick road”.
“It’s pretty hard/near impossible to get the application rate just right since the bleeding of the surface is not uniform,” he says.
“Therefore it is usual to over-apply the sand or dust, but sweep off the excess ASAP.
“Until the sweeping is done, appropriate ‘slippery surface’ signage should be in place.
“I would expect the sweeping to be carried out within 24 hours. It may be necessary to re-apply the sand on subsequent hot days followed by sweeping.”
Other long-term solutions require analysis, design and specialist equipment to implement, Ian says.
Treatments include application of a “fog” coat of bitumen, rolling in another layer of aggregate, removal of excess bitumen by water blasting and replacement of the entire seal.
Ian says the analysis, design and resourcing of these treatments may take a couple of months to a year to organise and finance.
Since we published an article about the thick sand across the road, Roads and Maritime Services have been actively sweeping the road.
However, Motorcycle Council of NSW chairman Steve Pearce says it is “very disappointing to see this work without any consideration for motorcyclists”.
“You could easily come to the conclusion that Melinda Pavey doesn’t want motorcyclists to use this road, remember it was just a year ago when the speed limit was dropped,” he says.
Warning signs have also been posted on the area of road 25km west of Gingers Creek not far past the 80km/h zone.
The road began melting a few weeks ago in the heat. These photos were taken when the temperature was 31C.
After the images were posted, RMS spread thick sand over the road in what independent road surface expert and rider Ian Kite says is a short-term fix only.
Melting tar cause
The 40-year local government infrastructure manager and lecturer in road construction, pavement design and bitumen sealing says the technical term for the melting tar is “bleeding”.
“The cause of the problem is the aggregate in the seal being completely submerged by the bitumen and allowing the tyres to make contact with the bitumen,” he says.
“This can be caused by a number of factors – usually a combination of several.”
How to fix the issue
Ian says sand is the “quickest/simplest/cheapest solution” in the short term to absorb the excess bitumen.
Sometimes fine aggregate or crusher dust is also applied.
“The bitumen adheres to the surface of the particles and is no longer free to stick to tyres or present a slick surface,” he says.
He says the photos of the road indicate a high application rate of sand resulting in a loose, unbound surface “not much better than the slick road”.
“It’s pretty hard/near impossible to get the application rate just right since the bleeding of the surface is not uniform,” he says.
“Therefore it is usual to over-apply the sand or dust, but sweep off the excess ASAP.
“Until the sweeping is done, appropriate ‘slippery surface’ signage should be in place.
“I would expect the sweeping to be carried out within 24 hours. It may be necessary to re-apply the sand on subsequent hot days followed by sweeping.”
Other long-term solutions require analysis, design and specialist equipment to implement, Ian says.
Treatments include application of a “fog” coat of bitumen, rolling in another layer of aggregate, removal of excess bitumen by water blasting and replacement of the entire seal.
Ian says the analysis, design and resourcing of these treatments may take a couple of months to a year to organise and finance.
Riders have been alarmed to find sand over a section of the Oxley Highway where hot weather has caused the asphalt to melt and become slippery.
The Roads and Maritime Services was alerted to the problem last week and said they would inspect the surface this week.
“Sand was placed on the Oxley Highway to address soft pavement issues following extreme weather conditions and to improve traction,” an RMS spokesperson says.
“Excess sand is now being removed and a reduced speed of 60km/h is in place until further work is completed on the pavement surface.
“LiveTraffic will be updated to alert riders to the potential hazard at the location.”
It has been placed over melting tar on the road about 25km west of Gingers Creek not far past the 80km/h zone.
He says there are warning signs in place but was critical of the thick sand left behind.
RMS says “:further surface treatment is required”.
“Roads and Maritime Services is working with Walcha Council to carry out this work in the coming weeks, taking into account appropriate weather conditions required for this treatment,” the spokesperson says.
The molten tar lines are “right on the line your bike is going to take”, Ken says.
These photographs were taken when the temperature was 31C.
Melting road surfaces have also been encountered on recent roadworks on the mountain section of the Oxley Highway.
“It is already getting slippery on the new surface that is only a few weeks old, on the bottom half of the mountain,” Ken says.
“It will be ripped to bits by the end of summer and even more dangerous.
Oxley roadworks
The RMS told us last week it is “investing in the safety of Oxley Highway with a significant package of work recently implemented along the corridor”.
Roads and Maritime undertook resealing work in November and December on the Oxley Highway between Toms Creek and 85 kilometres west of Wauchope, which includes work in the mountain section.
“This reseal was comprised of a spray seal mix of bitumen and aggregate,” the spokesperson says.
“It is acknowledged motorbike riders frequently use the Oxley Highway for recreational purposes.
“Riders need to take safety precautions at all times while riding and this includes being aware of the road environment, particularly during extreme temperatures at this time of year – which can affect road surfaces.”
Save the Oxley organiser Ken Healey on his BMW K 1300 R (Photo: Keoghs Vision Photography)
From Sunday (January 13, 2019) there will be lane closures at Spencers Cutting for roadworks on a 1.2km section of the highway.
To reduce impact on traffic, work will be carried out between 6pm and 6am from Sunday and is expected to be complete by Friday 25 January, weather permitting.
Traffic control and a reduced speed limit of 40km/h will be in place.
For the latest traffic updates download the Live Traffic NSW App, visit livetraffic.com or call 132 701.
More complaints
This is not the first time riders have complained about roadworks on the Oxley Highway.
Parts of the famed and much-loved Oxley Highway are melting in recent heatwave conditions, prompting a departmental inspection to assess the dangers to motorcyclists.
Local rider Ken Healey says on the Port Macquarie Road Riders Facebook page that the road 25km west of Gingers Creek not far past the 80km/h zone is melting in the heat.
He says the lines of molten tar are “right on the line your bike is going to take”.
Photographs on this page were taken when the temperature was 31C.
“Clearly it is not lasting and extremely dangerous.”
He says he and another rider had a front-tyre slip out on the molten tar.
We contacted Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) about the melting road and they said they said it would be inspected.
“The Mid North Coast maintenance teams are inspecting the section of the Oxley Highway this week, to determine if any further work is needed to ensure the safety of road users,” a spokesperson says.
Melting moments
A similar melting incident was encountered last summer on Mt Glorious Rd west of Brisbane.
Melting road surfaces have also been encountered on recent roadworks on the mountain section of the Oxley Highway.
“It is already getting slippery on the new surface that is only a few weeks old, on the bottom half of the mountain,” Ken says.
“It will be ripped to bits by the end of summer and even more dangerous.
Oxley roadworks
The RMS says it is “investing in the safety of Oxley Highway with a significant package of work recently implemented along the corridor”.
Roads and Maritime undertook resealing work in November and December on the Oxley Highway between Toms Creek and 85 kilometres west of Wauchope, which includes work in the mountain section.
“This reseal was comprised of a spray seal mix of bitumen and aggregate,” the spokesperson says.
“It is acknowledged motorbike riders frequently use the Oxley Highway for recreational purposes.
“Riders need to take safety precautions at all times while riding and this includes being aware of the road environment, particularly during extreme temperatures at this time of year – which can affect road surfaces.”
Save the Oxley organiser Ken Healey on his BMW K 1300 R (Photo: Keoghs Vision Photography)
More complaints
This is not the first time riders have complained about roadworks on the Oxley Highway.
