The Thornton Road Bridge duplication project is entering its next major phase, with demolition of the original rail bridge beneath the existing 2010 bridge set to begin tomorrow, Saturday 16 May 2026.
The work will take place during a planned 72-hour rail possession.
Thornton Road is a key crossing over the Main North railway line, linking local communities to the M1 Pacific Motorway, Pacific Highway and Hunter Expressway. It is also one of the region’s key flood-free transport corridors during major weather events.
Maitland has experienced repeated severe flooding events in recent years and this bridge forms one of the only flood free access routes between the northern suburbs of Maitland and Newcastle, Sydney and the East Coast. During these events, traffic has often ground to a halt.
The duplication of the bridge will help future-proof this critical transport and flood resilience corridor – improving traffic flow, safety and connectivity for the 24,500 motorists who use this road everyday.
The original Thornton Bridge was replaced in 2010, with plans at the time for a future duplication. However, the duplication was later cancelled by the former Liberal and National Government, despite continued population growth and increasing demand on the corridor.
Instead, the former government removed the cap on development north of the bridge in 2012 allowing more homes to be built without committing more funding to significant infrastructure upgrades in the area until 2022.
The new bridge, expected to begin construction at the end of 2026, will provide two lanes in each direction and improve access across the Main North railway line.
Early work began in April 2025, including establishment of a pedestrian detour and a temporary site compound.
Transport for NSW has contacted nearby residents and businesses about the demolition work scheduled across the weekend.
Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to contact Transport for NSW directly on 1800 644 812 and TRB@transport.nsw.gov.au:
Other investments in Thornton road network:
· Traffic lights to the north of the bridge at Railway Avenue and Glenroy Street were installed in February 2021, leading to a double right hand turn that requires motorists to merge into one lane immediately before they can access the current 2010 bridge.
· The NSW Government announced $9.5 million from the Housing Acceleration Fund to new traffic lights at Government Road and Raymond Terrace Road in May 2022.
· The Albanese Government, under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program, and Maitland City Council are each contributing over $3.74 million towards the $7.5 million duplication of Haussman Drive between Raymond Terrace Road and Taylor Avenue, expanding the road to two lanes each way.
· The Minns Labor Government and Council are also investing another $6.9 million to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Haussman Drive and Taylor Avenue.
Member for Maitland, Jenny Aitchison said:
“Thornton has been the fastest growing area in the state for 10 years, and it is good to see that after more than a lost decade of Liberal and National neglect, work will commence on this long promised project to relieve congestion.
“In every regional community, there are one or more roads people depend on when disaster strikes. The road that stays open when others go under, the road families rely on to get home safely, evacuate, or stay connected during a flood.
“For people living on either side of the railway between East Maitland through to Millers Forest, that vital connector road is Thornton Road.
“Local people have shared their safety concerns about this issue, and I am pleased to see the Minns Government getting on with the job of improving safety and infrastructure for residents living on the northern side of the bridge.”