F3 to Branxton link

The F3 to Branxton link or "Kurri Kurri Corridor" is a link road in New South Wales, Australia, originally proposed in 1988. [ [http://www.f3linkroad.com/linksink.html F3 Link or Sink Group ] ] A noise study completed in early 2007 indicated an expected opening date of 2010. [http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/constructionmaintenance/downloads/hunter/f3_branxton/f3_branxton_noise-assessment_0307.pdf] While it was anticipated that, if the New South Wales state government and the federal government had committed funding by June 2008, the road would most likely have opened to traffic in December 2012, that funding commitment was not made and hence the preparatory works will be completed but construction of the road will not proceed until further funding is committed.

The link road will be a 39.5 kilometre long dual carriageway freeway with two lanes in each direction, running generally north west from the F3 at the Newcastle Link Road interchange to the Belford Bends Deviation on the New England Highway north of Branxton. The road will allow traffic to bypass the Maitland area, Lochinvar, Greta and Branxton.

Road design

While the road design approved in 2001 was for a speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour, the Roads and Traffic Authority applied in March 2007 to make several changes, including revising the design for a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour. [ [http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/constructionmaintenance/downloads/hunter/f3_branxton/f3_branxton_designchanges_0307.pdf F3 Freeway to Branxton link Design Changes to the Approved Project Environmental Assessment March 2007 ] ] The New South Wales Department of Planning approved those changes on 19th August 2007. [ [http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/ndetermination.asp Notices of Determination- NSW Department of Planning ] ]

The south eastern end of the road will connect to the interchange of the F3 freeway and the Newcastle Link Road. The interchange will be significantly upgraded, with three additional bridges across the F3 north of the existing one and the provision of high speed on and off ramps from the new road towards Sydney while maintaining full grade separation. [ [http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/constructionmaintenance/downloads/hunter/f3_branxton/f3_branxton_cu_0307.pdf F3 Freeway to Branxton link Overview of the revised project Community update March 2007 ] ]

A full interchange will be provided on John Renshaw Drive near the ends of George Booth Drive and Buchanan Road. As part of the construction of that interchange, the southern end of Buchanan Road will be relocated to connect to the existing roundabout at the end of George Booth Drive.

A full interchange will be provided on Main Road between Kurri Kurri and Heddon Greta.

Half interchanges facing towards the south east will be provided at Loxford and Allandale.

A full interchange will be constructed between Greta and Branxton, with a link to the existing highway via a new bridge across the Main Northern railway line and a link to a new roundabout on Wine Country Drive south of Branxton.

The north western end of the link road will cross over the Main Northern railway line and join onto the existing highway. When the new road is opened, the new road will become the main through road and existing highway on the northern side of Branxton will become a half interchange for turning left on and off the south east bound side of the highway.

Pre-construction work

The Roads and Traffic Authority obtained approval in July 2006 to allow the construction of the road to be staged. [ [http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/2006_ndetermination.asp Notices of Determination- NSW Department of Planning ] ] This does not mean that the road will be opened in stages but that preparatory work including relocation of high voltage power lines, gas mains, telecommunication cabling, water and sewer mains and the South Maitland Railway line can be carried out prior to commencing construction of the road. This was done because the relocation of services during road construction may have caused unpredictable delays. [ [http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/assessingdev/pdf/10-1-2006_rta_report.pdf f32b modification to permit staged construction ] ]

The relocation and construction of a new bridge to carry the South Maitland railway line over the new road was put out to tender in 2007. The closing date for tenders has been put back four times. The fifth tender closing date was 19th December 2007. [ [https://tenders.nsw.gov.au/rta/shared/rftdetail.cfm?p_id=12736&p_criteria=RTA%2E0000%2E85%2EMW%2E3773&p_advert=0&p_displayContext=front-end Tenders NSW Roads and Traffic Authority ] ]

It was anticipated that the pre-construction work would be completed in mid 2008 and construction of the road would commence immediately after the pre-construction is completed. [ [http://www.dotars.gov.au/department/statements/2007_2008/media/002trs.aspx Pressing Ahead With The Pacific And Hume Highways ] ]

References

See also

*Highways in Australia
*List of freeways in Australia
*List of highways in New South Wales