The NSW government is taking the next step in the Parkes Bypass project, with work set to continue on the now fully funded project.
This will see a 10.5 kilometre section of the Newell Highway be built to bypass the main street of the town.
It will take more than 1200 heavy vehicles and other traffic away from the centre of town each day.
Starting construction in November 2021, the project is part of the $1.4 billion investment from the federal and NSW governments into the Newell Highway Corridor.
The two-lane corridor will feature five key intersections and two new bridges, including one over Hartigan Avenue and the rail corridor and a second over the bypass on Victoria Street.
The Newell Highway is a critical link in Australia’s freight transport network, contributing to the competitiveness of Australia’s agricultural and mining sectors by opening up access to essential freight networks in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
These upgrades will better connect our regional communities and increase access for higher efficiency freight vehicles.
Work temporarily paused in 2023 due to prolonged wet weather and the discovery of three areas of Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) along the project alignment.
While the discovery of NOA initially slowed construction, work was able to restart under controls in line with EPA guidelines under the site’s Asbestos Management Plan.
Work is underway on multiple sections of the project including the Victoria Street bridge connection, with a major milestone to switch traffic onto a section of the newly built Hartigan Avenue extension planned for 28 February.