Road Safety and efficiency improvements along the Newell Highway section in Moree Plains Shire will be completed sooner than expected, after Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey announced the works would be fast-tracked.
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Mrs Pavey visited Moree on Friday morning to deliver the good news that the NSW Government would speed up key projects of the $500 million Newell Highway Corridor Strategy.
Mrs Pavey said speedy work along the 1,508 kilometres of road had pulled back construction end-date projections from eight years to four.
“So far, more than 17 overtaking lanes have been completed, with six of those in the Moree Shire section of the highway.”
Mrs Pavey said it was a big win for regional New South Wales.
“We have increased road budget 105 per cent since we came to office. Sixty-five per cent of the money is going into regional New South Wales, even though they’re only one-third of the population.”
Heavy-duty pavements, bypasses, realignment and road widening are just some of the many upgrades seen along the stretch of busy highway.
“I am pleased to say we are really doing great things with Roads and Maritime in terms of building the country road network. We are confident in our partnership with industry that we will deliver a whole new set of overtaking lanes over the next four years,” Mrs Pavey said.
The Moree leg of the Newell Highway has been promised more overtaking lanes, including four between Narrabri and Moree and two between Moree and Boggabilla.
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall said he was pleased with the construction process.
“Moree has seen three overtaking lanes completed and will see another three constructed over the next four years. The Newell Highway is the backbone of NSW freight transport. This isn’t just about creating a safer highway, but also improving freight efficiency.”
Western Region Roads and Maritime director Alistair Lunn said it was more than just building a safer stretch of road for Moree.
“The government and Roads and Maritime are keen to leave a legacy of skilled workers and improve Aboriginal employment. The aim is to have an overtaking lane every 10 kilometres. While the alliance really aims to get this done efficiently, we also want to do it with local industries.”
Moree Plains Shire Council general Manager Lester Rogers said he was happy with the announcement.
“The Newell Highway has a huge role that is not only important to the community but also the agriculture sector,” he said.