All is ready for the Singleton bypass construction to begin

Signs announcing this work went up earlier this month and the construction equipment has arrived on site - so let the works begin.

The eight kilometres bypass costing $700 million is expected to be completed, by the contractor Acciona, in late 2026.

Heralded as a game changer for the town with Transport for NSW saying it will improve traffic flow, travel times and safety through Singleton town centre by reduced traffic including heavy freight estimated at 3700 heavy vehicles, each day.

The bypass route, selected in 2016, has not been without its critics who argued a better option would have been to leave the New England Highway at its intersection with the Golden Highway and travel further west to avoid Whittingham.

This option, it was claimed would have been flood free and likely to cause less flood impacts on Singleton than the chosen route.

However, a counter view prevailed, where it is hoped having the bypass come as close as possible to the town will see travellers continue to call into Singleton.

For landholders whose properties had to be compulsory, its has been a long, frustrating and difficult process. Driving through Whittingham today empty houses sit alongside earth moving equipment a sign of the loss some landholders have worn for this major infrastructure project to proceed.