The Australian and New South Wales governments will fund a new bridge over the Hawkesbury River between Richmond and North Richmond, along with other traffic improvements.
Following feedback from the community, the preferred option will have a one-in-20-year flood resilience level and will be built next to the existing bridge.
This option was recommended as it reduces property acquisition, noise and visual impacts, and greatly improves flood resilience.
This option also supports business in the North Richmond town centre by maintaining passing trade.
In addition, it has no direct impact to heritage-listed properties and reduced impacts on endangered ecological communities.
The preferred option includes upgrades to traffic signals in North Richmond to improve long-term traffic flow, as well as a new signalised pedestrian crossing to improve connectivity across Bells Line of Road.
The project will upgrade four intersections, improve existing roads and construct a new road, as well as provide a dedicated active-transport path between Richmond and North Richmond that will encourage bike use and exercise.
The $500 million New Richmond Bridge and Traffic Improvements project is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments on an 80:20 basis.
