Motorists are being warned not to be “elfish” over the Christmas period around road sites in Newcastle and the Hunter.

While work is set to halt on four major projects – Hexham Straight, M1 Pacific Motorway extension (Black Hill to Tomago; and Heatherbrae Bypass) and the Newcastle Inner City Bypass – from Friday 22 December, speed restrictions may remain.

Transport for NSW regional director north Anna Zycki said Christmas was a busy period on local roads, which meant people needed to be extra vigilant, including around construction zones.

“Motorists are reminded to stay within the [speed] limits in these areas,” she stated.

“We want to ensure everyone makes it home safely to their loved ones during this Christmas period.

“At the moment, there are several major projects occurring, including the M1 extension to Raymond Terrace project, Newcastle Inner City Bypass and Hexham Straight, which will all have reduced speed limits in place over the festive season.

“NSW Police will also be making a list and checking it twice with double demerits for all speeding, motorcycle helmet, seatbelt and mobile phone offences from Friday 22 December to Monday 1 January.

“Only Santa can speed around the world in a night – the rest of us need to make sure we obey the road rules.”

Ms Zycki added Hunter roads were notoriously demanding during the holiday period.

“Hexham is a known pinch point with traffic subject to extensive delays at this time of year,” she said.

“Motorists should plan their trips and expect delays on their journeys.”

Shutdown periods and speed limits in the Newcastle region include:

• The Hexham Straight project site will shut down from Friday 22 December, with the first shift back on Monday 8 January.  The project area will remain 60km/h
• The M1 Pacific Motorway extension (Black Hill to Tomago) project site will shut down from Friday 22 December, with the first shift back on Tuesday 2 January. There will be no speed reductions in place during this time
• The M1 Pacific Motorway extension (Heatherbrae Bypass) project site will shut down from Friday 22 December, with the first shift back on Monday 8 January. Throughout this period, the southbound lanes of the Pacific Highway (between Richardson Road and Masonite Road) will be restricted to 80km/h
• The Newcastle Inner City Bypass will sign off for the festive season on Friday 22 December and return on Monday 8 January. Be aware of posted speed limits, as reductions may still be in place around the project site

For more news stories:

• Golden Highway upgrade wraps up major work at Belford
• Major upgrades complete at Newcastle’s ‘stink pipe’
• Intersection upgrade paves way forward for Cooranbong

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