• Funding program Roads of Strategic Importance
  • Status Underway
  • Transport mode Road
  • Expected start/finish Early 2022 - Mid 2028
  • Estimated project cost $214,000,000
  • Australian Government contribution $170,000,000
  • State NSW

Project description

This investment will deliver targeted upgrades along the Tenterfield to Newcastle Corridor in New South Wales, including the New England Highway, which contributes to the competitiveness of Australia's agricultural and mining sectors. 

The upgrades are designed to address issues impacting the performance of this critical freight corridor including congestion, reduced freight productivity, safety issues and amenity issues. 

The following projects along the Corridor were announced as part of the 2021-22 Budget: 

  • Bald Nob Road upgrade
  • Sunnyside Platform Road upgrade

An additional four projects were added to the Corridor at the 2021-22 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO):

  • Goonoo Goonoo Road Duplication - Greg Norman Drive to Calala Lane
  • Sandy Hollow Rest Area upgrade, Golden Highway
  • Rocky Cut Realignment, which involves upgrades to the New England Highway at Rocky Cut, Wingen.
  • New England Highway Corridor - priority intersection upgrades, which involves upgrades to priority intersections along the corridor, including at Willow Tree and Glennies Creek Road, and if funding allows, at Segenhoe Road.

Benefits

  • Improved safety for all road users
  • Improved efficiency and network reliability
  • Improved accessibility and connectivity of road networks
  • Improved freight productivity and access to freight gateways

Funding

Australian Government funding contribution for this corridor: $170 million 

This includes $6 million of funding allocated for projects in the 2021-22 Budget, and $90 million allocated for projects in the 2021-22 MYEFO. Relevant local councils will contribute a further $1.5 million to these projects.

New South Wales Government funding contribution to the corridor: $42.5 million.

The remaining $74 million in Australian Government funding will be allocated to future priorities along the corridor.

Timetable

The first project on this corridor to start construction was the Sunnyside Platform Road Upgrade, which commenced in April 2022. Other projects are expected to commence later in 2022 and beyond.

Identification of future priorities on the corridor is underway.

Project last updated:

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