While the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for Stage 1, Section 1 will take place on Friday, the road opened to traffic last Friday night, so some of you may have already driven along it.

The new stretch of road provides a second access to Stockland Glendale and the Hunter Sports Centre from Main Road, Cardiff and will significantly relieve traffic congestion at local bottlenecks such as the Crossroads and Lake Road roundabout.

Construction involved extending and realigning Glendale Drive to meet an extended Stockland Drive at a new four-leg roundabout, building a bridge over Winding Creek, installing traffic lights at the Main Road intersection and laying new footpaths and shared pathway.

Public art is also a prominent feature of this section of the interchange.

There is a striking 26-tonne centrepiece sculpture on the new roundabout comprising three interlocking steel rings, which was designed by EJE Architecture, and a bright 450 square metre mural by exciting young contemporary artist Elliott ‘Numskull’ Routledge.

The new link road will make journeys between Cardiff and Glendale smoother, faster and safer, while also providing a boost to local business.

The opening of Stage 1 Section 1 is an important first step in the building of the Lake Macquarie Transport Interchange, which will facilitate growth in an area fast emerging as a major regional economic zone.

Council continues to campaign strongly for funding for Section 2 of the interchange, the Pennant Street Bridge, which is the key to unlocking large tracts of land that will create space for thousands of new jobs and homes in the area.

There are other exciting developments on the horizon for Glendale, too, with plans in the pipeline for a $100 million expansion of Stockland Glendale and Council seeking support for a $20 million upgrade of the Hunter Sports Centre.

This part of our city, earmarked since the 1990s as a strategic centre for the Hunter Region, is really beginning to realise its potential as a business and lifestyle hub.

Photo: Cr Fraser at the first section of the Lake Macquarie Transport Interchange.​