Kernke Submission

In reference to the public meeting and display at the Bagdad Community Hall on Tuesday 6 July regarding the Bagdad Bypass.

My comments regarding realignment proposals 1 and 2 are as follows:
In relation to the proposed realignment of the Bagdad Bypass, I am concerned that the "Alignment 2" proposal will have a detrimental effect upon the heritage values of the Bagdad Valley and that it will destroy valuable sections of agricultural land. The entire Bagdad Valley is rich in heritage and has inherent world wide tourism potential. It would be extremely shortsighted not to preserve the integrity of this valley for the future benefit of all Australians.

In relation to the invitation for comments regarding the proposed "clover leaf" and link to the Bypass at Pontville, I comment as follows:

The proposed "clover leaf" junction should not be developed for a number of reasons including, but not limited to:

The development would have a detrimental effect upon the heritage values of this section of the lower Bagdad Valley - visual, noise and degradation of the cultural landscape. The Bagdad Valley has an important place in the early development of Australia and its integrity should be preserved for future generations;

• The proposal does not respect the Register of the National Estate Listed "Shene and Homestead Blocks" (heritage place ID 16849) and "Shene Stables" (heritage place ID 10862);
• The proposal does not respect the heritage values of the immediate Heritage Mile Precinct at the gateway to the Southern Midlands Council area;
• The development of a "clover leaf" junction estimated to stand at least 8 metres high and to cover a large section of the valley floor in the lower Bagdad Valley will result in the pointless degradation of this section of the Bagdad Valley - a place rich in Aboriginal and early European history, a place of picturesque landscapes recorded by renown artists John Glover, who once lived in close proximity to this area and Mary Morton Allport who depicted Shene Stables in a painting with the lower Bagdad Valley and Mount Wellington as a back drop;
• The section of the Bagdad Valley planned for the "clover leaf" is low lying and prone to heavy fog and severe ice conditions during the winter months. On Friday 2 July 2010, like many other winter days, we recorded a temperature of minus 4 degrees at Shene with resultant heavy frost and ice . We also had a heavy fog which lasted until after 10:00 am. Because of the fog, heavy frost and ice remained on the ground until quite late in the day. We have recorded temperatures of up to minus 7 degrees here at Shene but I am sure that there have been colder mornings. Year to date our coldest recorded temperature was on the 23 May 2010 at minus 6 degrees. The point being that this part of the world is subject to severe frost and icy conditions and heavy fog. The area proposed for the " clover leaf" is even lower than Shene homestead and would be colder and more fog affected. Not a good location for a proposed junction of ingress and egress roads with a four lane highway as this would create a very dangerous situation with merging traffic - poor visibility due to heavy fog and slippery road conditions due to ice . Refer to the attached photograph shown as DSC01236.JPG. This was taken at a little after 9:00 am on Friday morning 2 July 2010 from Winton Hill, on the western side of the Midlands Highway opposite Shene Road, looking down into the Lower Bagdad Valley and to the site of the proposed "clover leaf" junction. Note the frost in the foreground of the photograph.
  

I am not sure of the exact distance, however, within approximately 2 to 4 kilometres of the Pontville site at Tea Tree Road, Brighton, ingress and egress roads to the proposed new Midlands Highway are currently being developed. Given the disadvantages associated with the location of the Pontville site and its inherent dangers, as detailed above, and the likely negative effect upon traffic flow along the proposed new Midlands Highway due to the close proximity of the proposed Pontville " clover leaf" junction with Tea Tree Road, surely there would be no need for the development of the additional ingress and egress point proposed near Pontville.
The proposal is not warranted (cost factor verses usage). Based on advice provided on the day we believe the cost to develop this proposed clover leaf is likely to be in the range of $10,000,000 to $20,000,000.

I feel very strongly about the proposal to develop a "clover leaf" junction in the lower Bagdad Valley, Pontville area and will seek meetings with the Premier of Tasmania and the relevant Federal Government Minister to express my concerns and to seek a better outcome for Tasmanian's and fellow Australians.

Please call if you would like to discuss this email.


Kind Regards,
David Kernke
Shene
76 Shene Road
Pontville. TAS 7030