The preferred option for a new bridge over the Hawkesbury River between Richmond and North Richmond has been identified and the Australian and New South Wales Governments are funding the delivery of the New Richmond Bridge along with other traffic improvements.
“The bridge between Richmond and North Richmond provides a vital crossing of the Hawkesbury River and currently carries an average of 31,000 vehicles per day.
“A new bridge will double traffic capacity across the Hawkesbury River, reduce travel times and cater for future growth in this historic and growing part of Western Sydney,” Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said.
Feedback from the community has resulted in choosing an option that will have a one-in-20-year flood resilience level as well as having the new bridge built next to the existing bridge.
The preferred option will also allow for less property acquisition, have reduced noise and visual impacts, and will greatly improve flood resilience of the bridge.
In addition, this option will support business in the North Richmond town centre as it maintains passing trade.
Heritage-listed properties will be saved with the preferred option as it will have no direct impact to the properties, and the option will also reduce impacts on endangered ecological communities.
“The bridge will be built next to the current bridge as a result of strong community support noting the look, impact on surrounding properties and flood risk.
“We want to give the community the assurance that if the two flood events this year were to occur again, they would not be cut off from services they need.
“We also estimated the new two-lane bridge and approached will save motorists up to 12 minutes travel time through this area,” NSW Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward said.
Project map (source: Transport for NSW)
Key features of the preferred option will now include:
“As part of this project we’ll also see upgrades to traffic lights, four intersections and two existing roads which includes an additional eastbound lane on Bells Line of Road.
“I’m also excited about the walking and cycling connections which will follow, giving locals the chance to move about their community in a low cost way,” State Member for Hawkesbury Robyn Preston said.
Project delivery is divided into two stages with Stage 1 to include upgrading The Driftway between Londonderry and Blacktown roads while the remainder of the project scope will be delivered in the second stage.
The $500 million New Richmond Bridge and Traffic Improvements project is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales Governments on an 80:20 basis.
“The joint Commonwealth and State investment allows us to build a bridge which will double traffic capacity and alleviate the bottleneck between Richmond and North Richmond.
“I look forward to supporting the community to ensure that the detail of the design delivers the best possible result, while minimising the impact that it will have on some residents,” Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman said.
Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; Transport for NSW
Designs for the upgrade on Richmond Road between the M7 Motorway and Townson Road in Marsden Park, New South Wales have been unveiled and community consultation is now underway.
Lendlease Engineering has been named as the preferred contractor to design and construct the new one-kilometre long Richmond River Bridge at Broadwater. The new bridge is one of two major bridges on the Woolgoolga to Ballina section of the Pacific Highway upgrade project in New South Wales.
Through the New South Wales Government’s $5 billion WestInvest program, significant funding amounting to $385 million has been allocated to upgrade Richmond Road.
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