Works have started on a six-kilometre stretch of the Oxley Highway west of Gunnedah and will continue for the next eight months.
It is hoped the upgrades will improve road safety outcomes on the stretch of highway and help reduce the potential impact of flooding. Pavement widening and rehabilitation, culvert widening and road sealing will be undertaken as part of the upgrades.
Works will be carried out over the next eight months on weekdays between 7am and 6pm and on Saturdays between 8am and 1pm, weather permitting.
Single lane closures and the reduction of speed limits to 40km/h will be part of changed traffic conditions during this time.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison says heavy vehicles stand to be some of the biggest beneficiaries of the works.
“These improvements will benefit all road users, including drivers of heavy vehicles who regularly use this road hauling freight across NSW,” Aitchision says.
“This pavement improvement work will deliver a stronger and more resilient road surface, safer turning at the Oxley Highway intersection with Goolhi Road and reduced ongoing maintenance costs.
“Rehabilitating the road surface to make it more resilient will reduce the need for ongoing pavement maintenance and improve the experience for road users, as well as reducing disruptions due to roadworks.”
NSW Labor’s spokesperson for Barwon Stephen Lawrence MC says the upgrades should help reduce the likelihood of drivers being involved in serious or fatal collisions on the Oxley Highway.
“Regional NSW makes up a third of the NSW population, but two thirds of deaths on our roads happen on country roads,” Lawrence says.
“This investment will improve safety on the Oxley Highway and will work towards achieving the goal of ensuring everyone gets home safely every time to their loved ones.”
Independent Member for Barwon Roy Butler says the project is a key initiative in ensuring NSW’s roads continue to improve in the face of natural disasters.
“In recent years the Oxley Highway has proven to be particularly prone to floods. This work will help improve the road’s ability to resist future flood events and remain open,” Butler says.
“It is important not just to rebuild roads after natural disasters, but also to build them back better than they were.
“This work will continue the process of making our regional road network safer and less likely to be cut off during heavy rains.”
$11.5 million has been committed to the project.
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