The Australian and New South Wales Governments are funding a new bridge over the Hawkesbury River between Richmond and North Richmond, along with other traffic improvements.
The $500 million New Richmond Bridge and Traffic Improvements project will upgrade four intersections, improve existing roads and construct a new road, along with other traffic improvements.
Following feedback from the community, the preferred option will have a one-in-20-year flood resilience level and will be built next to the existing bridge.
The preferred option was selected to maintain passing trade to support business in the North Richmond town centre, while not having any direct impact to heritage-listed properties and reduced impacts on endangered ecological communities.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said the new bridge would bring a series of benefits to road users.
“The bridge between Richmond and North Richmond provides a vital crossing of the Hawkesbury River and currently carries an average of 31,000 vehicles per day,” she said.
“A new bridge will double traffic capacity across the Hawkesbury River, reduce travel times and cater for future growth in this historic and growing part of Western Sydney.”
The $500 million New Richmond Bridge and Traffic Improvements project is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments on an 80:20 basis.
The project will upgrade four intersections, improve existing roads and construct a new road, as well as provide a dedicated active-transport path between Richmond and North Richmond that will encourage bike use and exercise.
The bridge between Richmond and North Richmond provides a vital crossing of the Hawkesbury River, and carries an average of 31,000 vehicles per day with a single lane in each direction.
In 2013, Transport for NSW prepared the Richmond Bridge and approaches congestion study. The study identified the need for additional bridge capacity and three intersection upgrades to improve travel times and journey time reliability and provide for future growth.
The project has been divided into two stages to deliver early safety benefits to the community. Stage one includes upgrades to the drift way between Londonderry and Blacktown Road. The remainder of the project will be delivered in stage two.
For more information, go to https://nswroads.work/NewRichmondBridge.