RDA Hunter welcomes the news today that work will commence next week on the $103 million duplication of the Tourle Street Bridge and Cormorant Road.
“Having identified the project as an infrastructure priority in our Hunter Economic Infrastructure Plan and successfully lobbied to have it included on Infrastructure Australia’s list of national priorities, we are very pleased that the project is now being realised,” said RDA Hunter CEO, Todd Williams.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss said the Australian and New South Wales governments have each committed more than $51 million to the project to improve traffic flow and cater for future growth.
“Tourle Street and Cormorant Road form the main corridor connecting Kooragang Island to Newcastle and the southern section of the Port of Newcastle. Approximately 33,000 vehicles, including more than 3000 heavy vehicles, use this road daily as the main corridor connecting Newcastle with Newcastle Airport and Port Stephens,” Mr Truss said.
“This vital upgrade will improve traffic flow and cater for a forecast increase in traffic due to future urban development in Port Stephens, the expansion of Newcastle Airport and growth of industrial development on Kooragang Island.
“Starting early work, before tenders are invited for major work, will ensure the successful tenderer can start work as soon as possible.” continued Mr Truss.
NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight said, “By undertaking work such as shoulder widening and building a new bridge, we are supporting the increasing number of freight movements in and out of the Port of Newcastle, one of the world’s largest coal exporters, where Kooragang Island is located,”
“Early work will include building road embankments at the southern end of the Tourle Street Bridge and in the Long Pond area on the northern side of Cormorant Road. The embankments will allow the soft soil to settle and prepare the ground to properly support the future road pavement.”
The work also includes building an underground barrier to prevent movement of old steelwork and adjustments to Telstra services on Tourle Street and Ausgrid overhead power lines on Cormorant Road.
Tender documentation is currently being prepared for tenders for major work to be called later this year.
Download the Hunter Economic Infrastructure Plan
Visit http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/hunter/kooragang-tourle-street-cormorant-rd/index.html