The interchange bridges are starting to take shape on the next and final stage of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass as works progress on the road's "missing link".
Construction began in March 2023 on the 3.4 kilometre Jesmond to Rankin Park stretch.
The bypass is expected to open to traffic in 2022, and divert more than half of the daily vehicle movements from the busy Lookout Road.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said contractor Fulton Hogan had set up compounds and completed site establishment, environmental controls and utility investigation.
Bridge work is progressing at the Jesmond roundabout and McCaffrey Drive. Utility installation and relocation is also underway, while safety barriers, line marking and traffic signage are being installed.
Other work involves earthworks, including loading, placement and hauling of material within the construction zone, utility work, drainage installation, and roadworks.
Transport for NSW executive director Peter McNally told a recent Property Council lunch the project was "certainly benefiting from the weather at the moment".
"I think we had the last three years planned for much more inclement conditions than what we're getting and it really is opening up some opportunities," he said.
"The productivity on site with respect to earthworks is nothing short again of remarkable. They've got a significant fleet there and they're moving a lot of dirt very fast."
Mr McNally said the new bypass was expected to cut a 15 minute journey to John Hunter Hospital to three minutes.
"The amount of traffic through the Jesmond roundabout at the moment is of the order of about 70,000 vehicles a day," Mr McNally said.
"That's comparable to the M1 down at Tuggerah and I don't think a lot of people outside of Newcastle who don't experience that would understand just how severe that is.
"If you move up on to Lookout Road, you're equally looking at somewhere between 50,000 and 55,000 vehicles a day.
"By any measure that's pretty phenomenal.
"Once the bypass is open the expectation is that more than half of those will be taken off."
Mr McNally said the benefit-cost ratio (BCR), which assesses a project's value for money, was "well north of five".
A BCR greater than one is expected to deliver a net positive value.
"One of the things that I've always been interested in, is why this didn't happen earlier because the BCR on this project is well north of five," Mr McNally said. "It's one of the most significant investments we can make.
"The other one that's probably interesting is Hexham straight which I think is closer to nine which probably gives you some feel for how big the impact is there."
There will be no work during a Christmas shutdown from December 22 and work will restart on January 8.
