Work will start next week at the first of three sites where six new overtaking lanes will be built on the Newell Highway between Coonabarabran and Narrabri reducing travel times and improving safety on a section of road popular with grey nomads.
Up to 40 new overtaking lanes and road safety improvements are being delivered along the Newell Highway as part of the Australian and NSW government’s $1.7 billion major upgrade.
NSW Minister for Regional Roads and Transport Sam Farraway said that 23 overtaking lanes have already been completed and improving travel along the stretch of road.
“The three new sites had been selected to maximise safety, efficiency and value for money,” Mr Farraway said.
“All three sites will feature both northbound and southbound overtaking lanes, totalling about nine kilometres.
“There are significant cost savings associated with being able to build pairs of overtaking lanes rather than individual overtaking lanes at different sites along the Newell Highway.
“Additionally, working on pairs of overtaking lanes allows crews to establish just a single site compound instead of two, creates efficiencies in terms of geotechnical and environmental investigations and saves money in terms of construction time and traffic control set-up.
“The NSW Government is building what matters to make daily life better through our $14.5 billion regional road and transport infrastructure pipeline.
“With the amount of work going on around regional NSW it’s vital as a government we look to new ways to deliver projects that saves money, which can be invested into other projects that improve daily life for people in NSW.
“These time and money savings are in addition to the main benefit of overtaking lanes – providing motorists, particularly those in retirement who are exploring regional NSW, more opportunities to overtake safely.”
The new Pilliga overtaking lanes will be built at Dandry, about 30 kilometres north of Coonabarabran; near the Pilliga Rest Area, about 63 kilometres north of Coonabrarbran; and near the Sir William Bridges Rest Area, about 24 kilometres south of Narrabri.
Work on the first of the trio, at the Pilliga Rest Area, is scheduled to start on 20 June, with all three projects expected to be completed in 2023, weather permitting.
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said the section of the Newell Highway from Coonabarabran to Narrabri through the Pilliga is a regular route for caravanners and heavy vehicles carrying freight.
“This stretch of the highway is long and winding, and it can often be difficult to find a safe place to overtake if you’re stuck behind a truck or caravan,” Mr Coulton said.
“As someone who regularly travels along this road, I know just what a difference these new overtaking lanes will make, ensuring journeys are smoother, safer and more efficient for all road users in this part of the state.”
The Australian and NSW governments are jointly funding a $1.7 billion upgrade of the Newell Highway, with the Australian Government contributing $60 million to build new overtaking lanes and the NSW Government contributing $168 million.
More information on the Newell Highway overtaking lanes is available on the Transport for NSW website.