A notorious flooding stretch near the University of Newcastle is set to be alleviated through a $4 million storm water infrastructure upgrade.
The culvert at Boatman Creek off University Drive will be taken out and replaced by new creek embankments that will be naturalised with sandstone and landscaping to allow storm water to flow better.
A cycleway and shared path over the embankment that lead to the university will also be replaced by a new bridge.
The site, which is at the bottom of a hill, is a well-known flooding hot-spot - perhaps most notably from a July 2020 rain event when eight children and a driver had to be rescued after a bus became trapped at the scene in rising flood waters.
Two men were also helped to safety nearby on the same day after they became stuck on the roof of a car.
"[The culvert] is the key contributing factor to storm water flooding that occurs on University Drive, holding up traffic moving to and from the university and the Mater Hospital, as well as causing flooding in people's backyards and around the immediate proximity in Waratah," Newcastle deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen said.
"Unfortunately whenever we have those really major flooding events, those major rainfall events - the 2007 Pasha storm, the 2015 super storm and alike, we've seen flooding issues occur here.
"This is a really important piece of work by council which will address that issue entirely, ensuring that we're making that neighbourhood and that roadway safer."
A temporary path has been set up alongside the site while the new bridge is constructed. The new pathway component is expected to take about three months, while the entire project is due for completion in early 2023.
However Cr Clausen acknowledged that ongoing wet weather had caused delays to council capital works projects this financial year.
"I wish I knew what the weather forecasts would be for the next few months," he said.
"But we've partnered with a local delivery firm Daracon to assist us with this project, and I'm confident we'll be able to get it delivered."
City of Newcastle is funding the project through its storm water program.
