The Richmond Bridge is being duplicated 500 metres downstream of the existing bridge, and a range of traffic improvements are also being delivered.
The project is being delivered across three stages:
- Stage 1 - upgrades to The Driftway
- Stage 2A - delivery of the new bridge
- Stage 2B - upgrades and a bypass of Southee Road and Bells Line of Road
The current funding envelope will only deliver Stage 1 and 2A. Stage 2B is contingent on additional funding.
The project has also been referred to as the Third Hawkesbury River Crossing.
Key Dates
| Apr 2019 | Project Announcement |
| Jul 2026 | Expected Construction Commencement |
| Jun 2029 | Expected Construction Completion |
Funding contributions
| Federal Government | |
| NSW Government | |
|
The project has a current funding envelope of $515 million. The project’s original funding envelope of $500 million is being jointly funded by the Federal and NSW Governments on an 80:20 basis. The NSW Government committed an additional $15 million for the flood resilience work on Londonderry Road as part of Stage One in its 2023-24 Budget. During the design phase, TfNSW identified additional funding would be required to deliver all aspects of the project, citing an escalation in construction costs. Stage Two was subsequently split into Stages 2A and 2B. Stage 2B, which includes delivery of additional intersection upgrades and a bypass on Southee Road, is contingent on additional funding. It is currently unclear how the original $515 million in funding will be allocated across Stage One and Stage 2A of the project. |
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Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Transport for NSW |
PROJECT HISTORY
| Apr 2019 | The Federal Government committed $200 million to the project, with the expectation the NSW would commit $50 million. |
| Sep 2019 | The NSW Government committed $50 million towards the project. |
| Jun 2021 | The Federal and NSW Governments committed additional funding the the project, bringing the total project cost to $500 million. Additional funding comprised $200 million from the Federal Government and $50 million from the NSW Government. |
| Jun 2021 | Transport for NSW ran public consultation for the Preferred Option for the project, which closed on 17 September 2021. |
| Jul 2024 | Transport for NSW updated its Transport Infrastructure Projects Pipeline 2028, confirming a number of key dates for the project. Award of Stage One was updated to Q4 2024, with construction commencing Q1 2025 and reaching completion Q2 2026. Award of Stage Two was pushed back to Q4 2026, with construction commencing Q1 2027 and reaching completion Q4 2028. |
| Dec 2024 | The NSW Government called for Expressions of Interest for the delivery of Stage Two of the project, closing on 20 February 2025. |
| Dec 2024 | Transport for New South Wales indicated that additional funding would be required to deliver all aspects of the project, and subsequently split stage two into stages 2A and 2B to prioritise delivery of key project features within the available funding envelope. Stage 2B, which includes delivery of additional intersection upgrades and a bypass on Southee Road, is contingent on additional funding. |
| Jul 2025 | Infrastructure NSW released an updated procurement timeline for the project in its 2025 Major Projects Pipeline. Construction is scheduled to commence in Q3 2026, with construction completion expected by Q1 2029. |
TfNSW Project Page
Transport Infrastructure Pipeline 2028
