Parkes Bypass

Reviewed

Project overview

The Australian and NSW Governments are funding the $187.2 million Newell Highway upgrade, Parkes Bypass. The Bypass seeks to improve connectivity, road transport efficiency and safety for local and interstate motorists.

Latest news

May 2023 - Community drop-in sessions

Transport for NSW in partnership with head contractor Georgiou Group invites the community to learn more about what's happening on the Parkes Bypass project.

Have a chat to our project team at our community drop-in sessions on 16 and 17 May.

Read the postcard invitation (PDF, 282.25 KB).

May 2023 - Naturally Occurring Asbestos Community Information & FAQs

Find out more about Naturally Occurring Asbestos on the Parkes Bypass project in the latest Community Information (PDF, 646.89 KB) and read the Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 3.13 MB).

Dec 2022 – Naturally Occurring Asbestos

Areas containing Naturally Occurring Asbestos have been identified on the Parkes Bypass construction site. Read more in the community information letter (PDF, 893Kb).

Oct 2022 – Lane closures on Brolgan Road

From October 10 2022, lane closures will be in place on Brolgan Road for up to 14 weeks.

Read more in the notification letter (PDF 712Kb).

 

Aerial view of the bypass in September 2022

Aerial view of the bypass in September 2022. View or download the Parkes Bypass Detailed Design (JPG, 1.18Mb).

Project information

Background

Transport for NSW proposes to build a new 10.5-kilometre bypass on the western outskirts of Parkes to reduce travel time, improve freight productivity and efficiency, pedestrian access through Parkes and traffic flow.

We are delivering this work as part of the $520 million Newell Highway upgrade program to support the interstate freight industry, provide economic growth, and improve access and safety along a vital transport corridor in New South Wales.

The upgrade would involve relocating the highway about two kilometres west, between Maguire Road to the north and Barkers Road to the south - a total length of 10.5 kilometres. The bypass would remove up to 1200 trucks per day from local streets and improve safety for motorists.

Objectives

The Parkes Bypass will improve:

  • Freight efficiency and productivity
  • Access for high productivity vehicles (double road trains, B-triples, AB triples) through Parkes as well as providing a link to existing road train routes to the west
  • Safety of the railway level crossings
  • Travel times at Forbes Road level crossing (near Hartigan Avenue) and the Welcome level crossing
  • Pedestrian access in Parkes particularly across Bogan Street
  • Access to the Parkes Special Activation Precinct.

Features

The new highway west of Parkes will be about 10.5 kilometres long and key features include:
A two-lane road (one lane in each direction) with five key intersections including:

  • Two T-intersections, north and south between the existing Newell Highway and the Bypass
  • A split T-intersection at London Road
  • A four-way roundabout at Condobolin Road
  • A T-intersection with Bogan Road.

Two bridges:

  • A bridge over two rail lines and Hartigan Ave
  • A bridge over the Bypass on Victoria Street.

An extension of Hartigan Avenue (Henry Parkes Way) with intersection with Brolgan Road, Billy Mac Place and Condobolin Road.

Realignment, reconfiguration and changes to local roads including:

  • Shifting part of Moulden Street to the west
  • Maguire Road and Nock Road converted to cul-de-sacs
  • New connection between Brolgan Road and Hartigan Avenue
  • Connection between Thomas Street and Mitchell Street via the Reedsdale Road extension.

A new shared path for pedestrians and cyclists which will connect Brolgan Road, Condobolin Road and Victoria Street.

Naturally Occurring Asbestos

In September 2022, Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) was identified within the Parkes Bypass site, in two cuttings between Condobolin Road (Henry Parkes Way) and Painter Street, and in a cutting adjacent Brolgan Road.

In addition, prior to the identification of NOA on the project, material from the affected areas was used as general fill material in other locations across the project site.

Following the discovery of NOA at these sites, work was immediately stopped as a precautionary measure whilst an Asbestos Management Plan was finalised. The plan involves implementing controls that ensure the safety of workers and the public while conducting works in areas affected by NOA as well as ensuring that the site is remediated prior to completion of the project.

In February 2023, the Asbestos Management Plan was finalised in consultation with SafeWork and Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) allowing work in these NOA affected locations to recommence. The NOA affected material that is required to be removed in order to construct the project is being excavated out of the areas shown in red in the maps below, with all blasting now complete.

Read more about Naturally Occurring Asbestos in our latest update (PDF, 646.89 KB) and Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 3.13 MB).

Air monitoring devices have been installed in multiple locations to monitor the levels of asbestos in the air.

Transport takes its role in protecting the safety of the community very seriously and will continue to work closely with the EPA & SafeWork NSW in relation to the ongoing management of the site.

The results of these tests are available below.

More project visualisations

View more project visualisations on the Project photos, graphics and visualisations page.

Community information

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

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

Displays and posters

Reports

Review of Environmental Factors

Media releases

Contact us

For further information about this project, please contact:

Phone: 1800 741 636 (option 4)

Email: newell.upgrade@transport.nsw.gov.au

Mail: Newell Highway upgrade, Parkes Bypass; PO Box 334, Parkes NSW 2870