The Singleton Bypass is on track to open to traffic later this year, with construction teams back from the break and hard at work, delivering an extraordinary project for the Hunter.
The project is being delivered with a $560 million investment from the Albanese Labor Government and a $140 million investment from the Minns Labor Government.
This region-changing project will take 15,000 vehicles a day off Singleton’s main street, improving travel times, freight efficiency and safety for local and interstate motorists, allowing them to avoid five sets of traffic lights.
The eight kilometre bypass starts near Newington Lane in the south and rejoins the highway just past Magpie Street in the North. The project features a full interchange at Putty Road and connections to the New England Highway at the Southern and Northern ends and at Gowrie.
A host of major milestones were achieved in 2025, with crews opening two bridges which allowed trucks to shift material within the project corridor, without going through the CBD, helping to reduce the impact of construction traffic.
Construction of all six bridges is now nearing completion, including the largest on the Hunter Floodplain, which is 1.6km long.
The bridge construction has involved the installation of 435 girders and 207 bridge piles and pouring of 161 concrete columns and 78 concrete bridge decks. Only the finishing works remain, including the installation of safety rails, deck joints, placement of asphalt, noise walls and safety screens.
Road pavement construction has recently commenced across the corridor.
To date, a total of 500,000m³ of earthwork material has been placed across the project alignment, equivalent to 200 Olympic sized swimming pools of material.
Construction activities continuing in early 2026 include:
drainage and earth works
continued pavement construction including asphalting and line marking
the relocation and connection of water, electrical and sewer services
the construction of interchanges, and
the start of landscaping.
The bypass is expected to be open to traffic in late 2026, weather permitting.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:
The 1,300 workers on this project are making some incredible progress, and I know Hunter motorists, and anyone regularly passing through Singleton, can’t wait to enjoy smoother, safer and more reliable journeys when the bypass opens later this year.
It’s one of the many projects across NSW being delivered by the Albanese and Minns Labor Governments together that will be a real game-changer for the community.”
NSW Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison:
I am delighted to be able to say for the first time that Singleton Bypass will be open to traffic this year!
The bypass is going to make a massive difference for road users across the Hunter.
We are ensuring mums and dads spend less time in traffic and more time with their family.
We are cutting five sets of traffic lights, and ensuring Singleton locals can reclaim their CBD – with 15,000 fewer vehicles passing through it each day.
This is a win-win outcome for Singleton residents, visitors and freight operators.”
Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi:
The bypass will ease congestion and improve safety for the more than 25,000 vehicles that use this section of the New England Highway every day.
The town is already enjoying a taste of the benefits the Singleton Bypass will bring, with project haulage trucks using two new bridges enabling them to avoid CBD streets.
The completion of this project will absolutely transform the town centre, improving amenity and safety for Singleton while delivering enhanced journey reliability and travel time for vehicles using the New England Highway.”