The Rudd Labor Government will provide Federal funding to upgrade Tourle Street Bridge and Cormorant Road in Newcastle, a project identified as a regional priority by Infrastructure Australia.
Together, Tourle Street and Cormorant Road form a vital but increasingly congested transport corridor connecting the City with the Kooragang Island industrial precinct as well as RAAF Williamtown and the residential areas of Stockton, Medowie and Port Stephens.
With daily traffic volumes expected to increase further over the coming decade from 33,000 to 40,000 cars and trucks, urgent action is required and Federal Labor is prepared to step up.
We will contribute $52 million towards the duplication of the Tourle Street Bridge and its approaches
. Funding for this project is already included in the budget. The NSW Government, which requested this Federal assistance, will provide the balance of the required funding ($52 million).
Construction is scheduled to start in 2015 following the finalisation of the detailed design work. Once completed, the improvements made will ease congestion and deliver smoother, faster driving conditions on and around the bridge.
The Rudd Labor Government is committed to building the infrastructure necessary to support the Hunter’s growing population and expanding industrial base, with this latest project adding to the unprecedented capital works program we are already rolling out across the region.
Over the past five and a half years, we have provided Federal dollars to:
- Build the new $1.7 billion Hunter Expressway – expected to be completed next year.
- Complete the Bulahdelah Bypass on the Pacific Highway.
- Undertake the most extensive upgrade of the region’s freight rail network in generations ($580 million) – mostly completed.
- Improve safety at dozens of dangerous black spots on local roads.
- Install boom gates and other safety measures at high-risk level crossings.
- Refurbish local community facilities such as public libraries, sporting facilities, parks, playgrounds and child care centres.
Plus in our most recent Budget we outlined and funded a $600 million plan to ease congestion and cut travel times along the F3 connecting Newcastle and the Hunter to Sydney.
Only Labor is delivering real money for real projects that are making a real difference.