Proposed NSW Muswellbrook bypass a step closer to construction

Construction on the New England Highway bypass of Muswellbrook in New South Wales is another step closer to beginning following the release of the Submissions Report. 

The report details the feedback collected from the community during the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) and project concept design exhibit. 

The $336 million Muwellbrook bypass project is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales Governments, each contributing $268.8 million and $67.2 million respectively. 

“With a vital part of the planning process for the bypass now complete, the community of Muswellbrook is a step closer to having fewer heavy vehicles on local roads. 

“Up to 20,000 vehicles, including 2,600 heavy vehicles, use the existing New England Highway through Muswellbrook each day. 

“Once the bypass is built, local and through traffic will enjoy safer journeys and there will be significant safety, amenity and economic improvements in the town centre,” a Transport for NSW spokesperson said. 

The project is also expected to create 720 direct jobs and 1,090 indirect jobs, providing a much-needed boost to the local economy in the Upper Hunter region. 

Key features of the Muswellbrook bypass project include: 

• About nine kilometres of new highway with a single lane in each direction 
• Connection with the New England Highway at the southern end of the proposal, which provides all traffic movements (southern connection) 
• A 38-metre bridge over the bypass at the southern connection 
• A 76-metre-long bridge over Muscle Creek Road and Main North railway line 
• A 114-metre-long bridge over Muscle Creek 
• Connection with Coal Road, which provides all traffic movements (Coal Road connection), potentially to be constructed in stages 
• A 43-metre-long bridge over Coal Road 
• A 367-metre-long bridge over Sandy Creek Road, Sandy Creek, Main North railway line and southbound exit ramp 
• Connection with the New England Highway at the northern end of the proposal, which provides all traffic movements (northern connection) 
• Property access and local road adjustments including Burtons Lane, Koolbury Flats Row, Milpera Drive, Muscle Creek Road and Coal Road 

Coal Road connection - north facing design (source: Transport for NSW)

The New England Highway is a major freight and commuter route that forms part of the inland Sydney to Brisbane National Transport Network and is the primary route that links the Upper Hunter with Maitland and Newcastle. 

The environmental assessment process for the proposed Muswellbrook bypass was carried out to help identify potential impacts of the project as well as ways to minimise these impacts. 

Stakeholders and the community were invited to give their feedback on the project and a total of 24 submissions from the community, businesses, the Muswellbrook Shire Council as well as government agencies were received. Feedback included a range of issues such as property, land use and amenity impacts like noise and air quality. 

“It was great to see most of the feedback on the proposal was either supportive or neutral, so it is clear people understand the benefits this project will bring. 

“Community feedback is an essential part of the process to make this bypass a reality, so I want to thank everyone who made a submission and invite the community to view the report to learn how Transport for NSW has responded to the topics raised,” the Transport for NSW spokesperson said. 

Source: Transport for NSW (1, 2, 3); Muswellbrook Chronicle; Infrastructure Magazine