Long-planned upgrades for Nelson Bay Road now have a “smarter, more viable” look, with the NSW Government today unveiling a three-stage strategy aimed at improving safety and adding more lanes to the arterial route.
The plan, shared by NSW Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison on Monday morning, is expected to cost up to $275 million. Works are set to start in early 2027.
The redesign replaces ideas originally proposed by the Liberal-National Government, which centred around a bypass from Bobs Farm to Williamtown. That plan was deemed unfeasible due to constraints around cost and accessibility, as well as “significant engineering, environmental, and property complexity.”
“This considered plan for Nelson Bay Road delivers priority upgrades sooner, responds to local feedback, and keeps the long-term duplication of the full corridor firmly in sight,” Ms Aitchison said on the upgrades today.
“The former Liberal-National Government’s approach was never realistic, and it would have meant building through and dividing large portions of agricultural and sensitive land.
“We’ve taken a different path. One that improves connections to Newcastle Airport, strengthens links to the upgraded M1, and takes a staged approach that responds to what the community needs now, while planning for the growth ahead.”
Stage one will start with a new 2.8-kilometre, four-lane road between Salt Ash and Bobs Farm. This was marked as a top priority due to the number of crashes recorded around that stretch.
The second stage will focus on expansion, including staged widening of eight kilometres of road between Fern Bay and Williamtown to respond to Newcastle Airport growth. Stage three will deliver safety upgrades between Williamtown and Salt Ash.
These new designs will next be submitted to the Australian Government for review. Some works may start before 2027 to address community feedback and reduce crash risks.
Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson said she believes the new upgrades will “genuinely serve their community,” while Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said he was particularly eager for stage two to help ease pressures on the airport.
Nelson Bay Road is considered a major corridor on the NSW east coast. Over 25,000 vehicles travel through the 43-kilometre link daily; that increases in the holidays, too.
These adjusted project plans come as the state and federal governments work on several other major road investments in the Hunter, including from the M1 to Raymond Terrace. There are also expansive works ongoing for bypasses that will eventually link Singleton and Muswellbrook to Nelson Bay Road.
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