Motorists using Richmond Road can expect another month of construction activity, temporary lane closures and night work as the $720 million Richmond Road.
The Australian and NSW Governments are upgrading the busy road corridor to support rapid population and housing growth across Sydney’s North West.
Major construction on the M7 Motorway to Townson Road section began earlier this year, with the project widening about 2.2 kilometres of Richmond Road between Colebee and Marsden Park from four lanes to six. The project also includes a new concrete bridge over Bells Creek and a separated shared path for pedestrians and cyclists.
Transport for NSW says work will continue along the broader Richmond Road project corridor between Townson Road and Yarramundi Drive during August.
For Hawkesbury motorists who regularly travel south towards Marsden Park, Blacktown and the M7, the works are likely to mean continuing changes to traffic arrangements.
Major earthworks and road construction
Work planned during August includes establishing traffic-control and construction zones, installing barriers, signs and line marking and carrying out environmental works including erosion controls and vegetation clearing.
Construction crews will also undertake substantial earthworks, including excavation, removal of topsoil and laying road base.
Road construction will include demolition, pavement construction, kerb and median work and asphalt laying.
Utilities will also be relocated or upgraded, together with drainage infrastructure, traffic signals and traffic-control systems.
A wide range of machinery will be operating along the corridor, including excavators, drilling equipment, compactors, concrete saws, grinders, line-marking trucks, water blasters, lighting towers, sweepers and heavy vehicles.
Residents and motorists have been warned that the increased level of construction activity will generate noise.
Night work possible five nights in a row
Normal weekday construction hours will be between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday, with Saturday work between 8am and 6pm.
However, significant work will also take place overnight.
Out-of-hours construction is scheduled between 6pm and 7am from Sunday to Thursday.
At some locations, night work may be undertaken for as many as five consecutive nights.
Transport for NSW says residents will be separately notified where work needs to take place outside the published construction hours.
No construction work is scheduled on public holidays.
To reduce disturbance to surrounding communities, contractors say the loudest activities will be completed before midnight where possible.
Equipment will be switched off when not being used and noise will be monitored in real time.
Temporary fencing will also be installed around construction areas for safety and security.
Lane closures and lower speed limits
Motorists should expect temporary lane and road closures along Richmond Road and adjoining roads and streets.
Reduced speed limits will also be imposed through some construction areas.
Drivers are being urged to obey temporary signs, speed restrictions and instructions from traffic controllers.
Access for emergency vehicles and public transport services will be maintained throughout the works.
Pedestrians and cyclists may also encounter temporary changes to shared-user paths as construction progresses.
One of North West Sydney's biggest road projects
The Richmond Road upgrade between the M7 and Townson Road is fully funded for construction and forms part of a broader effort to provide transport infrastructure for the rapidly developing North West Growth Area.
The existing project includes widening Richmond Road to six lanes and replacing the existing Bells Creek crossing with a new bridge capable of carrying the expanded road as well as a separated walking and cycling path.
The project has also been designed to improve road safety and reduce congestion on a corridor increasingly used by residents travelling between the Hawkesbury, Marsden Park, Schofields, Blacktown and the M7 motorway network.
The work also forms part of a much larger examination of Richmond Road.
Transport for NSW is separately developing plans for the Richmond Road corridor between the M7 Motorway and The Driftway at South Windsor, including approximately 11.5 kilometres north of the current construction project. Investigations for that future corridor planning are continuing during 2026.
For Hawkesbury residents, that makes the current construction more than a suburban road project at Marsden Park.
Richmond Road remains one of the principal connections between the Hawkesbury and the rest of western Sydney, meaning the way the corridor is expanded will have long-term consequences for local commuters as population growth continues on both sides of the Hawkesbury boundary.
Motorists travelling through the construction area during August should allow additional travel time and be prepared for changing traffic conditions, particularly during night works.
