BY OLIVIA HADWEN
The long-awaited Hillsborough Road upgrade is set to begin in April.
The project's first stage involves the upgrade of Crockett Street intersection.
New traffic lights will be installed and 700 metres of the road along Hillsborough Road will be duplicated.
Early site establishment activities will begin in April, with major construction expected to start in May and take around 18 months to complete, depending on staging arrangements.
The state government is investing $35 million to complete initial stage, set to be undertaken by Daracon Contractors Pty Ltd.
The entire project will ultimately upgrade the 1.8 kilometer stretch of road running from the Newcastle Inner City Bypass roundabout to the existing duplication of west Crockett Street.
Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said the project will assist the thousands of motorists using the road everyday.
"After years of congestion and frustration for local drivers, we're getting on with the job of delivering real upgrades that make a difference," she said.
"It's harder to do this work without causing some disruption, but motorists will be pleased when they're seeing there is going to be significant improvements to their daily commute.
"We ask motorists to take care around construction areas and to follow all road signs."
The project was shaped through community feedback, with Transport for NSW consulting on the concept design and environmental assessment in 2022 and publishing the submissions report in August 2023.
