Speers Point Roundabout Set for $16 Million Transformation Amid Mounting Congestion

newy.com.au – The notorious Speers Point roundabout, a long-time traffic headache in Lake Macquarie, is set to receive a long-overdue overhaul with an extra $5 million committed in the 2025–26 NSW Budget. The fresh funding lifts the total government spend on the project to $16 million, aiming to relieve congestion and improve safety at one of the region’s most frustrating choke points.

The roundabout, where Five Islands Road, TC Frith Avenue and The Esplanade converge has long been a source of delays for drivers, with traffic often backing up for several kilometres along TC Frith Avenue during peak periods, seven days a week. “We know the Speers Point roundabout is a pain point for motorists in the Northwest Lake Macquarie region, especially during peak hour,” said Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison. “With an additional $5 million allocated in the 2025–26 NSW Budget, we are investing a total of $16 million to upgrade this key intersection and help ease that congestion.”

Member for Lake Macquarie Greg Piper echoed this, saying, “I know how frustrating the traffic at Speers Point can be, I drive this section of road regularly and the congestion extends beyond the typical weekday peak periods and into the weekends. The planned upgrades will add capacity and increase flow through the roundabout to make journeys safer and more reliable for all road users.”

Safety is also a key concern, with the current layout posing risks for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians due to high traffic volumes and inadequate infrastructure. The upgrades will address these issues with several modifications, including the introduction of a northbound slip lane and a dedicated right-turn lane on Five Islands Road, as well as a new left-turn lane on TC Frith Avenue. Access to and from Creek Reserve Road will be restricted, with alternate routes provided.

In addition to roundabout works, the plan includes traffic lights at the TC Frith Avenue and Seventh Street intersection and widening TC Frith Avenue to two lanes in each direction near the roundabout. Active transport users haven’t been forgotten either, with a new shared path proposed between Creek Reserve Road and Seventh Street to improve pedestrian and cyclist access, as well as potential upgrades including right-turn bays at Second and Fourth Streets, and a pedestrian refuge at Third Street.

The works form part of a broader plan to future-proof the area’s infrastructure, as Lake Macquarie prepares for an estimated influx of 12,000 residents and 6,000 new jobs over the next two decades. Traffic volumes are already heavy, Five Islands Road sees around 40,000 vehicles a day, The Esplanade carries 26,000, and TC Frith Avenue handles about 22,000 making the need for intervention urgent.

Community consultation on the proposed changes was conducted from 30 May to 23 June 2024, with a revised concept design shaped by feedback from over 500 residents expected to go on display in 2025 for further public input. A construction start date has not yet been confirmed, as planning approvals and final designs are still underway.

The roundabout upgrade joins a suite of infrastructure investments in the region, including $2 million for further development of the Mandalong Road upgrade in the south, and funding for social housing and sports facilities.