Belford to Golden Highway - New England Highway

Reviewed

Project overview

Transport for NSW is upgrading the New England Highway between Belford and the Golden Highway to provide two travel lanes in each direction and a flyover for vehicles turning right from the Golden Highway towards Maitland and Newcastle. The NSW Government is investing $97 million for the upgrade to improve traffic flow, travel times and safety for motorists.

Latest news

August 2023 - Westbound traffic switch

Overnight from Monday 21 August, traffic travelling towards Singleton will be permanently moved onto the reconstituted dual lane westbound carriageway.

Traffic travelling towards Newcastle will continue to drive on a single eastbound lane until finishing work is completed on the dual lane, which is expected to take about four weeks to complete, weather permitting.

Work on the upgrade will continue to be carried out from 7am to 6pm on weekdays and from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

The speed limit will be reduced to 60km/h at times during the day while work is carried out adjacent to the new carriageways. An 80km/h speed limit will be in place outside of these times.

Thank you for your patience during this time.

July 2023 - New flyover bridge open to traffic

Road users are now able to travel along the new flyover bridge and roundabout.

Newcastle and Maitland bound motorists turning right from the Golden Highway on to the New England Highway will travel along the new flyover bridge.

Singleton bound motorists turning left from the Golden Highway on to the New England Highway will use the new roundabout.

Work on the upgrade will continue to be carried out weekdays from 7am to 6pm and on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm.

Traffic control and a reduce speed limit of 80km/h will be in place for the safety of workers and motorists.

Project information 

Background

The New England Highway is part of the inland route of the Sydney to Brisbane National Land Transport Network and the primary route connecting the Upper Hunter with Maitland and Newcastle. The Golden Highway connects the New England Highway at Whittingham with Dubbo.

These road corridors are designated B-Double routes and are used extensively by heavy vehicles servicing coal mining, grain production and other industries in the Hunter Valley and the Central West to access the port of Newcastle.

The New England Highway is a critical connection between the urban and employment centres of Maitland and Singleton, which are planned future growth areas for the Hunter region.

Around 22,000 vehicles travel along the New England Highway between Belford and the Golden Highway each day. This section of the New England Highway is currently two lanes westbound and one lane eastbound and has a history of crashes, particularly near the Golden Highway intersection.

Transport for NSW has engaged Acciona Construction Australia Pty Ltd to deliver the upgrade.

Main construction work started in late September 2021. Work on the project is expected to be completed well ahead of schedule in late 2023, weather permitting.

Benefits

The upgrade will:

  • increase capacity and connectivity of the New England Highway and Golden Highway for the efficient and reliable movement of freight
  • improve safety at the New England Highway and Golden Highway intersection by reducing the risk of crashes, particularly for motorists turning right from the Golden Highway
  • increase capacity at the New England Highway and Golden Highway intersection to cater for the predicted increase in traffic movements due to future growth in the Hunter
  • allow for access to existing and future adjoining land uses.

Features

The upgrade includes:

  • widening the New England Highway to provide a divided road with two lanes in each direction between Belford and the Golden Highway.
  • replacing the existing right turn movement from the Golden Highway to the New England Highway with a flyover
  • a roundabout on the Golden Highway with a connection to the New England Highway improves safety for motorists turning left onto the New England Highway towards Singleton and provides safer access to adjoining properties.

To see the project design, please view or download the project overview diagram (PDF, 1.02Mb).

Rest areas

The Whittingham rest area adjacent to the New England Highway and Golden Highway intersection was permanently closed on Monday 3 February 2020 as part of the early work for the upgrade.

The nearby townships of Singleton and Branxton offer motorists an alternate place to stop with a range of amenities. Alternative rest areas are located:

  • about 15 kilometres north on the New England Highway at Rixs Creek Road, north of Singleton
  • about 10 kilometres south on the Hunter Expressway at Branxton (heavy vehicles only)
  • about 40 kilometres south on the Hunter Expressway at Buchanan.

 For information about nearby rest area locations and facilities please visit Journey planning.

Next steps

We will continue to keep stakeholders and the community informed as the project progresses. Work on the project is expected to be completed well ahead of schedule in late 2023, weather permitting.

Project documents

Some documents on this page may not comply with accessibility requirements (WCAG).

If you are having trouble accessing information in these documents, please contact us.

 

Project notifications

 

Project updates

Reports

Media releases

  • 15 June 2021
    Contract awarded to upgrade Golden and New England Highways.
  • 3 October 2019
    Upgrade for New England Highway betweeen Belford and The Golden Highway.

Reports available upon request

The following reports area available upon request by contacting us:

  • June 2017 review of environmental factors report - Appendix C - Aboriginal community consultation
  • June 2017 review of environmental factors report - Appendix D - Stage 2 walkover report
  • June 2017 review of environmental factors report - Appendix F - Cultural heritage assessment report.

    Contact us

    For further information about this project, please contact:

    Phone: 1800 945 202

    Email: info.B2GH@acciona.com