It’s been a huge week in Rozelle. Since Monday morning’s peak hour, there’s only been one topic of conversation among the locals. How do we actually leave our inner-west suburb and reach the city?

One of the great advantages of living in Rozelle and neighbouring Balmain is that it’s only three kilometres from the CBD. I can jump on a bus on Victoria Road and be in town in 10 minutes. But for the past four days, I’ve been like a prisoner on Alcatraz. I can see my destination, but I just can’t get there.

Chaos on Victoria Road and (inset) the sign that fuelled some of the confusion this week.Credit: Nine

Monday morning saw the opening of a brand-new 1.1 kilometre tunnel leading from the eastern end of the Iron Cove Bridge to the Anzac Bridge. Taking it avoids seven sets of traffic lights, but the signage in the early days did not make it clear that it was toll-free, causing motorists to bypass the tunnel to stay on Victoria Road. Meanwhile, the experts at Transport for NSW simultaneously closed lanes on Victoria Road, Rozelle, and moved the bus lane to the middle lane, creating total chaos.

Before the changes, motorists leaving Balmain at Robert Street to turn left to the city encountered three lanes merging into two; it’s now three lanes merging into one, transforming it into what is inadequately called a “pinch point”. Transport expert Mathew Hounsell is quoted in Friday’s Herald as saying that the Rozelle interchange is a “design flaw” because it’s funnelling too many vehicles into a road which is too small to take them. Did anyone anticipate a problem?

Journeys which should take 20 minutes are taking at least three times as long – by car or by bus. Many drivers are turning around, driving back to Balmain and spending the day working at home. Children are getting to school late and vital appointments are being missed. Almost every resident has been affected.

On Wednesday, actor Rebel Wilson, a local, posted on her Instagram account: “Thanks Rozelle Interchange for now making a 15-minute trip into the city 90 minutes via Victoria Road – WTF?”

Many residents of Balmain gave up trying to get to the city this week, turning around and working from home.Credit: Kate Geraghty

One local resident said she recently attended a pre-opening community tour. When the project representative was told that the tunnel signage was ambiguous, he told her he didn’t think it was important. “It was staggering how wrong he was,” she said.