Work well underway on Hexham Straight Widening project

Work is progressing well on the Hexham Straight Widening project, with work about to start on bridge piling. 
Transport for NSW Regional Director North, Anna Zycki, said Transport for NSW is scheduled to start bridge piling on Monday 26 February. 
“This is an exciting milestone for the Hexham Straight Widening project, with the start of construction on the new 84-metre long and 17.1-metre wide southbound bridge,” Ms Zycki said. 
“The bridge will have four spans and has been designed to carry three lanes of traffic in each direction on completion. 
“A working platform, which includes placement of 9000 tonnes of rock, has been created so the bridge can be built from the land. 
“The Australian and NSW governments are working together on the upgrade of the section of Maitland Road known as Hexham Straight, between Newcastle Inner City Bypass and Hexham Bridge.
“On completion, this project will improve safety and traffic flow for the 50,000 motorists who use this road daily.”
Bridge piling work will take place during normal working hours from 7am to 6pm on weekdays and from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. 
For the safety of workers, some work will also be carried out outside these hours during low tide events in February. This will be done from the temporary working platform within the tidal zone.
There will be some temporary traffic changes to ensure the work zone is safe. On occasion, traffic may be temporarily slowed to carry out some activities in the work area.
Ms Zycki said a tender for acoustic noise treatment also closed earlier this month, with the tender expected to be awarded in next month. 
“Transport for NSW understands noise can be disruptive to local residents during the construction and operation of major roads, which is why we are committed to working with impacted community members,” Ms Zycki said. 
“Providing noise treatment is an extensive process as every property is different and requires a detailed assessment of eligibility and tailored package of treatment, which can include upgrades to windows and doors.  
“The successful tenderer will assess and manage the design of noise-treatment packages for affected residents. 
“We will keep the community updated throughout the noise treatment process.”
For the latest information on the project, visit https://nswroads.work/hexham