Branxton to Greta Shared Pathway/Cycleway
- Project typeShared Pathway Construction
- Project scheduleStage 1: Complete, Stage 2: Complete, Stage 3: To commence in 2023
Background
Council has received funding to construct a 3.3 kilometre long by 2.5m wide concrete off-road shared pathway/cycleway between Branxton and Greta on the northern side of the New England Highway. Prior to the opening of the Hunter Expressway in 2014, the section of the New England Highway between Branxton and Greta was part of the primary national route through the Hunter.
A separate expansion of the pathway to incorporate a war memorial aspect along the route is being coordinated by Hunter Anzac Memorial Limited.
This project forms part of Council's Operational Plan. You can find it within the Operational Plan with the Project ID CPW 2018 005.
Location
The pathway will connect the Branxton and Greta townships. The works are located on the northern side of the New England Highway between Branxton and Greta.
Funding
Under Round 4 of the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions Fund, Council received $1,950,000 to fund the construction of the pathway. Council will provide a co-contribution of $650,000 towards the project.
Scope of work
Construction of a 3.3 kilometre long by 2.5 metre wide concrete off-road shared pathway/cycleway, including:
- Locating public utilities, survey and site preparation
- Drainage and scour protection
- Laying a concrete pathway
- Signage and line marking
- Adjustments to existing vehicle access crossings
- Landscaping of disturbed areas
Construction
(Mar 2021 - July 2023)
Construction will be undertaken in a number of stages through until July 2023, subject to ground conditions and weather.
Stage 1: Stage 1 works is a 400 metre section of the pathway along the New England Highway from the corner of Wyndham Street at East Branxton. Stage 1 works were completed in June 2021.
Stage 2: The stage 2 works is a 420 metre section of the pathway from the end of Stage 1 to the corner of Wine Country Drive (M15 interchange) and the New England Highway and commenced in March 2022. During the construction of Stage 2, Council and its contractor worked together to develop a new crossing of Red House Creek. This enabled the previous plan to remove a traffic lane on the New England Highway to no longer be required.
A small section of concrete pathway will be constructed after the contractor moves their sheds from the site so that the section of pathway is not damaged from heavy vehicle movements. The Stage 2 works are now completed as of September 2022.
Stage 3: Transport for NSW has, of December 2022, approved the location of the final stage of the shared pathway in the far northern lane of the New England Highway, between the intersection of Maitland Street, East Branxton, and Devon Street, Greta. The Transport for NSW approval means that design can now commence to move the traffic lane markings to the south to enable the 2.5m wide pathway to be accommodated along with the required clearance distances between the pathway, a safety barrier and the new road edge line. Once design is completed, the pathway construction will commence.
During the course of the works there will be some unavoidable traffic disruptions. Traffic control will be in place to minimise this disruption and contractors will endeavour to keep residents and land owners updated on the timing and duration of disruptions.