But work won’t start on a set of street lights for the intersection of the Mitchell Highway and the Northern Distributor Road until May - almost two years after the council agreed to defer roadwork to pay for the project.

The council agreed to spend  $405,000 on the lights to improve visibility at the intersection, near Chinamans Bend, in June 2012, but has been waiting for the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) to approve the designs.

Council spokesman Allan Reeder said tenders for the project will be advertised from February 25, close three weeks later and work is expected to start in May.

“As well as the city council, private design consultants and the RMS have been involved in reaching the final design,” he said. 

“It’s unfortunate that it’s taken so long to get to this point, but it’s a busy intersection and it’s important to get the best lighting arrangement.”

The council awarded the contract for the construction of the second set of traffic lights at the Telopea Way/Farrell Road intersection on the NDR on Thursday.

Kenthurst-based contractor Traffic Lights NSW will start work soon and, weather permitting, the work will be completed in March, Mr Reeder said.

“The new lights will control traffic coming from Telopea and Farrell Road and will be coordinated with a new controller box with the existing lights on the bypass,” he said.

McDonald’s has contributed $60,000 towards the $200,000 set of traffic lights as part of the development of the Farrell Road outlet to be built in coming months.