Parkes Bypass

Read more in the March out of hours work notification.

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.

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

View the February notification for more information.

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

View the January notification for more information.

• January 2024 Community Update 

• Parkes Bypass Naturally Occurring Asbestos - Frequently Asked Questions
• Parkes Bypass Newell Highway upgrade - Naturally Occurring Asbestos Update 

• Extended partial closure of Thomas Street, Parkes
• Changed traffic conditions for girder delivery on Tuesday 5 and Thursday 7 December 2023

• Traffic switch at Bogan Road, Parkes from Monday 16 October
• Continued traffic changes on the Newell Highway, south of Parkes
• Traffic changes on the Newell Highway, north of Parkes from 16 October 2023

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.