What happens when a more efficient way to deliver infrastructure also creates significant disruption for the surrounding community?
That was the challenge facing the Warringah Freeway Upgrade team in Sydney, as it considered a temporary closure of the Alfred Street southbound off-ramp for approximately eight months.
The proposed closure would allow construction teams to complete major works more efficiently and reduce the need for night and weekend construction. However, it would also change access arrangements for residents, businesses and motorists travelling into North Sydney and surrounding suburbs.
The project’s approach to managing this challenge has been recognised with the inaugural People’s Choice Award at the 2026 Engagement Excellence Awards, alongside Highly Commended recognition in the Construction category.
Delivered by Transport for NSW and the CPB Contractors and DT Infrastructure joint venture, the project offers practical lessons about involving communities in difficult infrastructure decisions.
Understanding the impacts before making decisions
Rather than relying solely on notifications about the proposed closure, the project team undertook targeted engagement to understand how the changes would affect people.
The consultation generated 1,488 survey responses, the highest level of participation recorded across the project.
To reach affected stakeholders, the team used multiple channels, including:
- Direct emails to approximately 6,000 project subscribers in the affected area.
- Letterbox drops to approximately 10,000 residential and business properties.
- Community information sessions and face-to-face conversations.
- Targeted briefings with transport operators, schools and local businesses.
- On-street signage with QR codes linking to the feedback survey.
The feedback identified practical concerns about changed access arrangements, additional toll costs and impacts on local businesses.
Importantly, these concerns informed more than the communication plan. They helped shape measures designed to reduce the impacts of the closure.
Turning feedback into practical changes
One of the most significant issues raised was the financial impact on residents who would need to use a tolled alternative route.
Working with Transport for NSW, the project team developed a toll reimbursement scheme for affected residents using the Falcon Street/Military Road off-ramp during the closure.
Local businesses also raised concerns about customer access, wayfinding and communication.
In response, the team worked with affected businesses to develop business continuity packs addressing their specific needs, including access information, communication materials and promotional opportunities.
Community feedback also informed construction impact measures, including acoustic blankets, non-tonal reversing alarms and directional lighting.
These examples demonstrate how engagement can help project teams identify impacts that might otherwise be overlooked and develop practical responses alongside affected stakeholders.
Balancing short-term disruption with longer-term benefits
The closure was not without challenges.
Residents and businesses experienced changed access arrangements, while construction activity resulted in short-term increases in noise and disruption, particularly for people living close to the works.
However, the project team’s submitted case study reports that the revised construction approach delivered several outcomes, including:
- A six-month programme saving for the relevant construction works.
- A reduction of 90 night shifts, including 60 noisy night shifts.
- Five traffic switches completed without requiring significant lane closures affecting southbound motorists travelling towards the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and Sydney Harbour Bridge.
- Alfred Street North local road works completed and returned six months earlier than planned.
- Completion of the Mount Street/Alfred Street North intersection upgrade.
These outcomes illustrate the relationship between engagement and project delivery. Community input helped inform how the closure would be managed, while the construction approach reduced the duration of certain works.
The project also continued seeking feedback throughout the closure, allowing emerging concerns to be identified and addressed.
What can infrastructure engagement professionals learn?
The Warringah Freeway Upgrade highlights several considerations for teams managing complex infrastructure projects.
Engage before plans are finalised. Understanding how people use local roads, businesses and services can reveal impacts that technical assessments alone may not fully capture.
Connect engagement with operational decisions. Feedback becomes more meaningful when engagement, construction, traffic and project management teams work together to assess what can change.
Be clear about trade-offs. A construction decision may reduce disruption over the longer term while increasing inconvenience in the short term. Communities need clear information about both.
Show how feedback influences outcomes. The toll reimbursement scheme and business support measures provide tangible examples of responses to issues raised through consultation.
Maintain engagement during delivery. Community needs and concerns can change as construction progresses. Ongoing communication and opportunities for feedback remain important.
The case study is a reminder that meaningful engagement does not mean eliminating disruption or securing agreement from everyone affected.
It means understanding community impacts, being transparent about decisions and demonstrating how people’s experiences have informed the way a project is delivered.
