Lake Macquarie City Council has received $76 million in joint Federal and State Government funding, to upgrade Mandalong Road at Morisset.
The project will unlock hundreds of millions of dollars worth of investment in the city’s South West Growth Precinct.
The joint funding was announced at Morisset by Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, and New South Wales Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Sam Farraway.
The Federal Government will contribute $56 million to the project, with the State Government providing $20 million.
Lake Macquarie City Council Mayor, Kay Fraser, said Council is grateful for the announcement and the broad support it has received for this city-shaping project.
The road upgrade will address a longstanding bottleneck that causes peak-hour frustration for local commuters, with the Council describing the road as being a handbrake on development in the Morisset area.
The project will include the construction of new signalised roundabouts at the Wyee Road and Gateway Boulevard intersections, with a dual carriageway link in between.
Lake Macquarie Deputy Mayor, Jason Pauling, said Morisset was set to be a key Hunter regional hub for jobs, industry attraction and affordable, diverse housing development, as highlighted in the Draft Hunter Regional Plan 2041.
“This upgrade to Mandalong Road and its associated intersections is required to release development lands that will allow Morisset to grow and realise its potential,” Deputy Mayor Pauling said.
“Investors and families are already targeting Morisset for its strategic location and capacity to service residential and commercial needs, with more than $1.2 billion of housing, tourism, commercial and industrial development poised for delivery.”
Major projects proposed and under way in the Morisset area include the Cedar Mill event space and entertainment precinct, the Trinity Point hotel development, a major retail and bulky goods facility, a new Sport and Recreation centre and residential developments in Morisset, Wyee and Cooranbong.
Deputy Mayor Pauling said Council had been working collaboratively to develop a solution for Mandalong Road with the Federal Government, Transport for NSW and the State Government through Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper, as well as with industry stakeholders and investors.
The Federal Opposition has also recognised the importance of the project, having made a funding commitment towards the Mandalong Road upgrade in March 2022.
Image: Mandalong Road upgrade. Image courtesy of Lake Macquarie City Council.
