The Nelson Bay Road upgrade has passed a significant milestone, awarding the tender to build the 1km section from Salt Ash to Bobs Farm, the next stage in the $275 million project.
The contract has been awarded to Daracon Contractors, with the tender putting the project on track to start in late 2021.
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Paul Toole, said the NSW Government has committed $275 million to duplicate Nelson Bay Road from Williamtown to Bobs Farm, to help improve safety, travel times and traffic flow for the 25,000 motorists who use this busy route each day.
Works include building 3.5m travel lanes, 2.5m shoulders, a concrete median separation barrier, two connected retaining walls, utility relocations and fauna exclusion fencing.
“Nelson Bay Road provides a major connection for Nelson Bay with Newcastle and the work we’re doing will make it easier, safer and faster for locals and visitors to get around,” Mr Toole said.
“We’ve already completed the Bobs Farm to Anna Bay section in 2015, the upgrade of the Medowie Road intersection was completed in 2019 and the Lemon Tree Passage Road intersection upgrade was completed in mid-2020.”
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Taylor Martin, said, “A total project budget of $26 million has been provided for the Section 1 upgrade, which involves building about one kilometre of dual carriageway, from 900m east of Marsh Road at Salt Ash and joining up to the existing duplicated section of Nelson Bay Road at Bobs Farm.
“This project is expected to boost the local economy by supporting about 100 jobs during its peak construction period, and is expected to take about 18 months to complete, weather permitting.”
The community had its say in 2020 on the three route options presented for the planned upgrade of Nelson Bay Road between Williamtown and Bobs Farm, with a report on the feedback received, and responses from Transport for NSW published in June 2021.
Transport for NSW is currently preparing a preferred option report for the project, which is planned to be published late 2021.
More information about work on this section of Nelson Bay Road is available at nswroads.work/nbrsec1
