Big changes are coming to Singleton’s road network as part of the long-awaited Singleton Bypass project — and that includes a new name for a familiar stretch of road.
The new bypass will officially take on the name New England Highway, which means the current section of highway running from the Singleton Crossing Bridge to Magpie Street will need a new identity.
Singleton Council is now calling for public submissions to rename the existing road. However, before you get too silly, this isn’t a free-for-all. There’s a strict set of criteria that needs to be met for any name to be approved.
I know, I’d love to name a street Streety McStreet Face Street, too.
Mayor Sue Moore is encouraging the community to get involved, but she warns that the process is lengthy and highly regulated, with final approval resting with Transport for NSW.
Here’s the criteria:
- Cannot be any more than eight characters long
- If it’s an Aboriginal name it must have written approval by the Wonnarua Lands Council
- Cannot be a name of a living person
- Cannot be a name of a war or war casualty list
- Cannot replicate a name that is similar to a name anywhere within 20km
The renaming is just one piece of a much larger project reshaping the region’s infrastructure. With construction of the bypass progressing steadily, the project promises to ease congestion through the Singleton town centre and improve safety for all road users.
This change marks not just a shift in traffic flow, but also an opportunity to reflect local history, culture, or geography through a new road name.
Submissions for the new road name are now open, with Councillors choosing a winner from the public submissions.
