The risk of flooding will be significantly alleviated at a notorious hot spot after $5 million of work to improve water flow at Waratah West.
A 100-year-old brick arch culvert near the busy University Drive that restricted the capacity of Boatman Creek and posed a blockage risk has been replaced with a new sandstone channel.
The old culvert was at risk of collapse, which threatened the inundation of 25 surrounding properties.
It comes after the low-lying part of University Drive flooded on multiple occasions, including a July 2020 rain event when eight children and a driver had to be rescued after a bus became trapped at the scene in rising waters.
Two men were also helped to safety nearby on the same day after they became stuck on the roof of a car.
The council said the upgrade would not entirely flood-proof the area but would cause less disruption to traffic on the major thoroughfare.
The project was initially slated to cost $4 million, but material cost increases, ground conditions and an increased scope added $1 million to the bottom line.
The work began in May 2022 and included upstream creek improvements to maximise flow capacity and channel durability.
"It's also been coupled with the naturalisation and a brand new cyclist and pedestrian bridge providing access from the university through to the Mater Hospital," deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen said.
"[This] ensured the project maintains access to the university for students and continues to be an important link in our city's wider cycleway network.
"It has been a $5 million investment which funded the complete replacement of the 100-year-old culvert, the design and construction of the new bridge, relocation of some assets and the Hunter Water main as well as the full naturalisation of the storm water channel, so it's a pretty sizeable project."
