Parkes Bypass

Reviewed

The Australian and NSW Governments are funding the $187.2 million Newell Highway upgrade, Parkes Bypass. The Bypass seeks to improve connectivity, road transport efficiency and safety for local and interstate motorists.

Parkes Bypass girder lift

Latest news

April - Parkes Bypass - Northern Connection

Changed traffic conditions on the Newell Highway, Parkes. Read more in the April 2024 project notification. (PDF, 82.33 KB)

April 2024 - Nightwork  Linemarking , Hartigan Ave, Parkes Bypass

Read more in the April 2024 project notification (PDF, 359.2 KB).

March 2024 - Parkes Bypass - Out of hours work

Read more in the March out of hours work notification (PDF, 72.34 KB).

February 2024 – Work continuing on the fully funded Parkes Bypass

Transport for NSW is forging ahead on the biggest transport project in Parkes. Read more about the 10.5 kilometre bypass project in the Media Release. Switching traffic on to a section of the new Hartigan Avenue is the next major milestone for the project, with changed traffic conditions in place from 28 February. Read more in the Hartigan Avenue traffic switch Media Release and the notification letter (PDF, 475.17 KB).

February 2024 - Brolgan Road night work

Nightwork at the intersection of Brolgan Road and new Hartigan Avenue extension from Monday 19 February.

View the February notification (PDF, 308.02 KB) for more information.

January 2024 - Changed traffic conditions on London Road, Parkes

Temporary boom gates are operating on London Rd between Saleyards Rd & Ballerdee Lane until early March

View the January notification (PDF, 337.77 KB) for more information.

January 2024 - Community Update 

January 2024 - Naturally Occurring Asbestos Update 

December 2023 - Community notifications

October 2023 - Community notifications

Aerial view of the bypass in September 2022

Aerial view of the bypass in September 2022. View or download the Parkes Bypass Detailed Design (JPG, 1.18Mb).

Project information

Background

Transport for NSW is building a new 10.5-kilometre bypass on the western outskirts of Parkes to reduce travel time, improve freight productivity and efficiency, pedestrian access through Parkes and traffic flow.

We are delivering this work as part of the $520 million Newell Highway upgrade program to support the interstate freight industry, provide economic growth, and improve access and safety along a vital transport corridor in New South Wales.

The upgrade involves relocating the highway about two kilometres west, between Maguire Road to the north and Barkers Road to the south - a total length of 10.5 kilometres. The bypass will remove up to 1200 trucks per day from local streets and improve safety for motorists.

Objectives

The Parkes Bypass will improve:

  • Freight efficiency and productivity
  • Access for high productivity vehicles (double road trains, B-triples, AB triples) through Parkes as well as providing a link to existing road train routes to the west
  • Safety of the railway level crossings
  • Travel times at Forbes Road level crossing (near Hartigan Avenue) and the Welcome level crossing
  • Pedestrian access in Parkes particularly across Bogan Street
  • Access to the Parkes Special Activation Precinct.

Features

The new highway west of Parkes will be about 10.5 kilometres long and key features include:
A two-lane road (one lane in each direction) with five key intersections including:

  • Two T-intersections, north and south between the existing Newell Highway and the Bypass
  • A split T-intersection at London Road
  • A four-way roundabout at Condobolin Road
  • A T-intersection with Bogan Road.

Two bridges:

  • A bridge over two rail lines and Hartigan Ave
  • A bridge over the Bypass on Victoria Street.

An extension of Hartigan Avenue (Henry Parkes Way) with intersection with Brolgan Road, Billy Mac Place and Condobolin Road.

Realignment, reconfiguration and changes to local roads including:

  • Shifting part of Moulden Street to the west
  • Maguire Road and Nock Road converted to cul-de-sacs
  • New connection between Brolgan Road and Hartigan Avenue
  • Connection between Thomas Street and Mitchell Street via the Reedsdale Road extension.

A new shared path for pedestrians and cyclists which will connect Brolgan Road, Condobolin Road and Victoria Street.

Naturally Occurring Asbestos

In September 2022, Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) was identified within the Parkes Bypass site, in two cuttings between Condobolin Road (Henry Parkes Way) and Painter Street, and in a cutting adjacent Brolgan Road.

In addition, prior to the identification of NOA on the project, material from the affected areas was used as general fill material in other locations across the project site.

Following the discovery of NOA at these sites, work was immediately stopped as a precautionary measure whilst an Asbestos Management Plan was finalised. The plan involves implementing controls that ensure the safety of workers and the public while conducting works in areas affected by NOA as well as ensuring that the site is remediated prior to completion of the project.

In February 2023, the Asbestos Management Plan was finalised in consultation with SafeWork and Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) allowing work in these NOA affected locations to recommence. The NOA affected material that is required to be removed in order to construct the project is being excavated out of the areas shown in red in the maps below, with all blasting now complete.

Read more about Naturally Occurring Asbestos in our latest update and Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 2.2 MB).

Air monitoring devices have been installed in multiple locations to monitor the levels of asbestos in the air.

Transport takes its role in protecting the safety of the community very seriously and will continue to work closely with the EPA & SafeWork NSW in relation to the ongoing management of the site.

The results of these tests are available below.

2024

2023

2022

    More project visualisations

    View more project visualisations on the Project photos, graphics and visualisations page.

    Project documents

    Some documents on this page may not comply with accessibility requirements (WCAG).

    If you are having trouble accessing information in these documents, please contact us.

     

    Project notifications

    Community updates

    Displays and posters

    Reports

    Review of Environmental Factors

    Media releases

    • 14 Oct 2023
      Build it up: 30 girders to support new bridge as part of the Parkes Bypass project
    • 6 Oct 2023
      Piling on the excitement as work starts for Parkes’ new Victoria Street bridge
    • 8 May 2023
      Drop-in community sessions to provide updates on the Parkes Bypass
    • 15 June 2022

      1,200 trucks through Parkes a thing of the past thanks to bypass.

    • 28 January 2022
      Victoria Street bridge next step for Parkes bypass.

    • 15 November 2021
      First sod turned on $187 million Parkes Bypass.

    • 25 August 2021
      Contract awarded for construction of Parkes Bypass.

    • 22 July 2021
      Focus on local links in countdown to Parkes Bypass.

    • 2 June 2021
      12Km of fencing, 12,000T of concrete for next stage of bypass build.

    • 15 April 2021
      Local contractors called to help build Parkes Bypass.

    • 18 March 2021
      Tenders invited for the Parkes Bypass.

    • 2 September 2020
      Early work to power the Parkes Bypass.

    • 14 February 2020
      Community shapes Parkes Bypass.

    • 26 June 2019
      Have your say on proposed Parkes bypass.

    Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

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    Contact us

    For further information about this project, please contact:

    Phone: 1800 741 636 (option 3)

    Email: newell.upgrade@transport.nsw.gov.au

    Mail: Newell Highway upgrade, Parkes Bypass; PO Box 334, Parkes NSW 2870

     

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