Line-marking will take place today before traffic is switched to the extension as a number of other roads are closed to allow crews access to continue work.
Transport for NSW regional director west Alistair Lunn said, when complete, the bypass would transform the way people travel through and around Parkes.
“The good news is work on the bridge over rail and Hartigan Avenue is progressing well and remains on track for completion later this year,” he said.
“The bridge is being built high enough to allow double-stacked trains to pass beneath it as part of the Inland Rail project, crucial to ensuring the efficient movement of produce around the Central West.”
Meanwhile, five early morning shifts will be required up to twice a week between now and late March to complete concrete deck pours on the new bridge, with the exact dates to be determined by weather.
The Parkes Bypass project is part of a $1.4 billion investment from the Australian and NSW Governments into the Newell Highway Corridor.
The 10.5-kilometre new section of the Newell Highway will be constructed to bypass the main street of the town, taking over 1200 heavy vehicles and other traffic away from the town centre every day.
The two-lane corridor will feature five key intersections and two new bridges, including one over Hartigan Avenue and the rail corridor and a second over the bypass on Victoria Street.
TfNSW says the Newell Highway is a critical link in Australia’s freight transport network, contributing to the competitiveness of Australia’s agricultural and mining sectors by opening up access to essential freight networks in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.