MORE than a year since construction began on the $450 million Rankin Park to Jesmond section of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, the 3.4 kilometre shortcut is taking shape.
As park of major work, the project team is undertaking drilling and low-impact controlled blasting, staged to minimise impact on the community.
A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said work was progressing well.
"Since starting major work in March last year, the project team has completed site establishment, the site compounds and environmental controls, tree clearing and vegetation removal on the project alignment and the archaeological salvage of the historical 1920s-era Hollywood camp at Jesmond Park," she said.
"There has also been a lot of work done to install and relocate utilities for the project as well as earthworks, drainage installation and roadworks.
"Bridgework is continuing at the Jesmond roundabout, which is the site of the future northern interchange, and at McCaffrey Drive, where the future southern interchange will be built."
Drilling and blasts are being carried out in the construction zone to the northwest of John Hunter Hospital.
After a production blast last Friday, the team is taking a short break to carry out excavation, rock crushing and removal.
Weather permitting, the remainder of the low impact, controlled blasts will then take place every two weeks from May until the start of June.
The Rankin Park to Jesmond project is the fifth section of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, a key four-lane divided road connecting the western suburbs of Newcastle.
When it's finished, the bypass is expected to provide a faster and more reliable journey while improving safety on surrounding roads, with crashes predicted to drop by about 30 per cent.
Commuters will avoid 11 sets of traffic lights, and the bypass will remove up to 30,000 vehicles a day from Lookout Road, Croudace Street and Newcastle Road.
It is expected to open to traffic in late 2025, including a northern interchange at Newcastle Road, another with access to John Hunter Hospital and a southern interchange at Lookout Road.
It will improve connectivity in the bushland for people and animals with off-road provisions for pedestrians and cyclists.
