Flyover work to clear Newcastle for coal growth

<p>Work to relieve a long-term rail bottleneck near the port of Newcastle is on track, with engineering consultants GHD overseeing the completion of a flyover at Sandgate.</p> <p>Until now, coal trains have had to stop near Sandgate station to wait for a break between passenger services before crossing the passenger lines to head north-east towards the port.</p> <p>The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) allocated $25m to a concrete flyover at the site in 2004.</p> <p>The project will see the construction of a 126-metre flyover west of the station that will raise the passenger line and allow coal trains to travel underneath in order to continue on to the port without stopping.</p> <p>The work allows the port to meet a projected growth from 85m tonnes each year, to 109m tonnes by 2007.</p> <p>GHD project manager Richard Hackett said the development, which borders a wetland area, had satisfied strict environmental requirements.</p> <p>A temporary bypass has already been constructed, with work underway to complete the flyover by November. </p> <br />