Two much awaited Hunter Valley projects have received a major boost in this year's State Budget, with the Thornton Bridge duplication project to receive an additional $35 million to get on with construction.
The additional $35 million in new funding for Thornton Bridge builds on existing funding of $15 million in previous State Budgets to kickstart planning work, making a total commitment of $50 million from the Minns Labor Government.
This is on top of $100 million to deliver a Westbound Overpass on the New England Highway at Maitland, recently committed by the Albanese Labor Government to enable major work to be undertaken.
These projects are prime examples of the Minns and Albanese Labor Governments getting on with providing fast growing communities facing traffic congestion with the new and widened roads they need.
When delivered, the Thornton Bridge project will ease congestion and expand access to Thornton Road which is an essential flood-free route for local residents during natural disasters.
Transport for NSW are currently carrying out early works, which includes surveying the road surface of Thornton Road and Railway Avenue between Huntingdale Drive and Glenroy Street that will help inform a design solution for the project.
Thornton Bridge is one of the many vital regional road projects that the former Coalition government failed to complete in 12 years. Instead, the former government removed the cap on development north of the bridge, allowing more homes to be built without committing more funding to regional infrastructure.
The NSW Government has quickly added the recent commitment by the Australian Government of $100 million to deliver a westbound overpass on the New England Highway at Maitland Station into its forward program of road projects.
Early investigation work has been completed by Transport for NSW, so work can begin quickly when design scoping is complete and construction contracts signed. The Hunter is the most populous area of regional NSW, with more than one million people living in the region.
These projects add to a long list of improvements to major road projects in the Hunter Region to improve connectivity, reduce travel time, and bolster road safety. This includes:
- the Singleton bypass
- the Muswellbrook bypass
- upgrades to the New England Highway
- the Golden Highway upgrade projects
- Newcastle Inner City Bypass
- extension of the M1 Pacific Motorway to Raymond Terrace
- widening of Hexham Straight to connect journeys from M1/Hunter Expressway through to the Port of Newcastle
- Nelson Bay Road from Williamtown to Bobs Farm Upgrade
- other intersection and road upgrades.
NSW Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison, said:
"The Minns Labor Government is getting on with delivering the roads infrastructure that the Hunter Valley community needs.
"This is a fast-growing community that needs new and improved road links to bust congestion and improve safety.
"The Liberals and Nationals prioritised building massive toll roads in Sydney at the expense of regional roads but the Minns Government is determined to get important regional infrastructure back on track.
"Peak hour congestion around Thornton Bridge is so bad it is like a massive car park. This will be a game changer for the community connecting people to home, work and essential services.
"When the eastern overpass of the Maitland Station roundabout opened in 2016, I said it was a job half-done. I am delighted that the Australian Government has stepped in to support the NSW Government to deliver this essential project."
NSW Minister for the Hunter, Yasmin Catley, said:
"The Hunter is quickly becoming one of the best places to live, work and play- and that means we need smart, future-ready infrastructure to keep up - something the Minns Labor Government is getting on with delivering.
"We're focused on the essentials like safer roads, stronger bridges and upgraded intersections that locals use every single day - cutting congestion, boosting safety and making life easier for everyone.
"We're already delivering major projects like the Singleton Bypass, the Muswellbrook Bypass, the Newcastle Inner City Bypass and the M1 extension to Raymond Terrace - and this is just another step forward in getting it done for our communities."
Federal MP for Paterson Meryl Swanson said:
"The Westbound Overpass project will improve safety, reduce congestion, and make travel easier for families and businesses.
"It will be a game-changer for daily commuters, finishing what was left incomplete and give Maitland the infrastructure it deserves.
"This is about the safe travel of local residents, businesses, and tourists and maintaining vital links in our community."
