Transport for NSW is planning to upgrade the New England Highway between Belford and the Golden Highway to provide two travel lanes in each direction and a flyover for vehicles turning right from the Golden Highway towards Maitland and Newcastle. The NSW Government has announced $85 million under the Rebuilding NSW Plan for the upgrade to improve traffic flow, travel times and safety for motorists.
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APR
2020
APR 2020Early work
Early work on the upgrade, including utility relocations and closing the Whittingham rest area started in early 2020.
More informationThe Whittingham rest area permanently closed on Monday 3 February 2020. More information about the closure can be found in the December 2019 project notification (PDF, 165Kb).
We are currently planning to invite tenders construction tenders to build the upgrade in the second half of 2020. We will keep the community updated as this next step takes place.
For more information please download our September 2019 project update (PDF, 1.2Mb).
Project information
The New England Highway is part of the inland route of the Sydney to Brisbane National Land Transport Network and the primary route connecting the Upper Hunter with Maitland and Newcastle. The Golden Highway connects the New England Highway at Whittingham with Dubbo.
These road corridors are designated B-Double routes and are used extensively by heavy vehicles servicing coal mining, grain production and other industries in the Hunter Valley and the Central West to access the port of Newcastle.
The New England Highway is a critical connection between the urban and employment centres of Maitland and Singleton, which are planned future growth areas for the Hunter region.
Around 22,000 vehicles travel along the New England Highway between Belford and the Golden Highway each day. This section of the New England Highway is currently two lanes westbound and one lane eastbound and has a history of crashes, particularly near the Golden Highway intersection.
The NSW Government announced $85 million under the Rebuilding NSW Plan for the upgrade, with $1.9million committed in 2019-20 to continue planning and start early work.
The upgrade includes:
- widening the New England Highway to provide a divided road with two lanes in each direction between Belford and the Golden Highway.
- replacing the existing right turn movement from the Golden Highway to the New England Highway with a flyover
- a roundabout on the Golden Highway with a connection to the New England Highway improves safety for motorists turning left onto the New England Highway towards Singleton and provides safer access to adjoining properties.
The upgrade will:
- increase capacity and connectivity of the New England Highway and Golden Highway for the efficient and reliable movement of freight
- improve safety at the New England Highway and Golden Highway intersection by reducing the risk of crashes, particularly for motorists turning right from the Golden Highway
- increase capacity at the New England Highway and Golden Highway intersection to cater for the predicted increase in traffic movements due to future growth in the Hunter
- allow for access to existing and future adjoining land uses.
The Whittingham rest area adjacent to the New England Highway and Golden Highway intersection was permanently closed on Monday 3 February 2020 as part of the early work for the upgrade.
The nearby townships of Singleton and Branxton offer motorists an alternate place to stop with a range of amenities. Alternative rest areas are located:
- about 15 kilometres north on the New England Highway at Rixs Creek Road, north of Singleton
- about 10 kilometres south on the Hunter Expressway at Branxton (heavy vehicles only)
- about 40 kilometres south on the Hunter Expressway at Buchanan.
For information about nearby rest area locations and facilities please visit rms.nsw.gov.au/restareas.
Work on the detailed design is progressing well. Early work on the upgrade started in 2020.
We are currently planning to invite tenders construction tenders to build the upgrade in the second half of 2020. The timing of construction is not yet confirmed.
We will continue to keep stakeholders and the community informed as the project progresses.
Project documents
Project updates
| File | Title | Size |
|---|---|---|
|
September 2019 project update
New England Highway upgrade between Belford and the Golden Highway. |
1.2Mb | |
|
August 2018 project update
New England Highway upgrade between Belford and the Golden Highway. |
91.04Kb | |
|
April 2018 project update
New England Highway upgrade between Belford and the Golden Highway - design improvements. |
297Kb | |
|
June 2017 project update
New England Highway upgrade between Belford and the Golden Highway - concept design and environmental assessment. |
5.06Mb | |
|
September 2016 project update
New England Highway upgrade between Belford and the Golden Highway. |
815Kb |
Community updates
| File | Title | Size |
|---|---|---|
|
December 2019 community update
Whittingham rest area permanently closing on Monday 3 February 2020. |
180Kb | |
|
May 2015 community update
New England Highway upgrade between Belford and the Golden Highway. |
2.44Mb |
Reports
| File | Title | Size |
|---|---|---|
|
July 2018 submissions report
New England Highway upgrade between Belford and the Golden Highway. |
74.5Mb | |
|
July 2018 submissions report
Submissions report appendices |
15.99Mb | |
|
June 2017 review of environmental factors report
Main report. |
33.1Mb | |
|
June 2017 review of environmental factors report
Appendix B - Community consultation. |
3.17Mb | |
|
June 2017 review of environmental factors report
Appendix E - Biodiversity assessment report. |
14.7Mb | |
|
June 2017 review of environmental factors report
Appendix G - Contamination report. |
7.84Mb | |
|
June 2017 review of environmental factors report
Appendix H - Noise and vibration assessment report. |
17.1Mb | |
|
June 2017 review of environmental factors report
Appendix I - Non-Aboriginal heritage assessment report |
6.03Mb | |
|
June 2017 review of environmental factors report
Appendix J - Landscape Character, Visual Impact Assessment + Urban Design Study |
14.3Mb | |
|
June 2017 review of environmental factors report
Appendix K - Air quality searches |
200Kb | |
|
June 2017 review of environmental factors report
Appendix L - Socio-economic assessment report |
2.3Mb | |
|
June 2017 review of environmental factors report
Appendix M - Climate Projections |
1.11Mb | |
|
August 2015 community consultation report
New England Highway upgrade between Belford and the Golden Highway. |
3.1Mb |
Reports available upon request
The following reports area available upon request by contacting us:
- June 2017 review of environmental factors report - Appendix C - Aboriginal community consultation
- June 2017 review of environmental factors report - Appendix D - Stage 2 walkover report
- June 2017 review of environmental factors report - Appendix F - Cultural heritage assessment report.
Contact us
For further information or to make a complaint about this project contact:
Phone: 1800 945 202 (business hours – Natasha Waeger, Project Manager)
Email: BelfordtoGoldenHighway@rms.nsw.gov.au
Mail: Transport for NSW, Locked Bag 2030 Newcastle NSW 2300.
Complaints will be investigated within one working day from when they are received. If not already addressed via follow-up face-to-face conversation, phone call or email, a detailed response will be provided once the complaint has been investigated.