The long-awaited Hunter Expressway was billed as the Hunters largest road project and was dedicated on Friday, March 21, before opening formally the next day.

The opening allowed Hunter residents to walk or ride a six-kilometre stretch between the Kurri Kurri interchange and rest areas at Buchanan between 7am and midday.

Then Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said the link was expected to significantly change travel times in the Hunter.

The 40-kilometre Hunter Expressway [is] expected to cut travel times by up to 28 minutes on the trip to Newcastle, Mr Truss said.

This is a project that has spanned three federal governments [and] I am delighted to be able to visit the site to cut the ribbon to mark the completion of the expressway.

10,000 workers forged the road from 288,000 tonnes of asphalt to include six interchanges and 52 bridges.

Take a step back in time to the construction of the project and its welcomed opening thanks to the Fairfax archives.