HEXHAM is likely muttered under the breath of many drivers around this time of year. The area connects the M1 Motorway with the Pacific Highway through what can only be described as a bottleneck waiting to happen when the summer surge in northbound traffic arrives.
It is not a matter of if but when delays will strike ahead of holiday periods, perhaps fitting for an area that has long awaited an extension to the motorway linking the Hunter and Sydney that could alleviate the long queues.
In 2019 then treasurer Dominic Perrottet nominated the Black Hill to Raymond Terrace M1 extension project for fast-tracked federal cash. Earlier this year highway takeaway institution Sandy's closed its doors, and is now fenced off. Those missing out on their fish and chips could be forgiven for wondering how long they will have to wait to savour something as substantial as a highway upgrade.
Finally, as the Newcastle Herald reported on Saturday, the lights seem to have gone green. The NSW minister for planning granted it planning approval, one of the last hurdles in what has already been a long road. Hunter Business chief executive Bob Hawes said it would have particular benefits for the transport and logistics businesses clustering around Tomago, Beresfield, Thornton and Cameron Park.
"The benefits of the project will improve connectivity to the region's global gateways of the airport and port and the economic benefits that flow from this will extend beyond the region," Mr Hawes said.
Three decades passed before the Newcastle Inner City Bypass stretched from Sandgate to Jesmond, and there is no concrete answer to when its final stage will be complete yet. Large projects take long timeframes, certainly, but the speed with which Sydney's patchwork of new thoroughfares have arrived in recent years can only leave the Hunter envious and feeling neglected. Even pinch points further north, including at Bulahdelah, have received attention before the gateway to Port Stephens.
The Hunter Expressway proves what quicker connections can deliver to the region. It has quickly become a backbone of the road network, and equally stands as a monument to those who designed and built it before the need was critical.
The past is written, but the future is much more malleable. While construction is due to start next year and end in 2028, those who have waited so long for this project will be unlikely to count on it until ground is broken. Equally, it is crucial for this region that the highway extension gain enough speed to arrive before the areas it connects - including Newcastle Airport - drive up the demand beyond its scope.
Given how long the project has gestated, it is crucial it is fit for purpose for times far beyond the timeframe of its initial suggestion. May work now shift into top gear.
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