The New South Wales Government’s $11.5 million investment into improving safety conditions on part of the Oxley Highway began today.
A six-kilometre stretch of the highway, located roughly 50km west of Gunnedah, will undergo various refurbishments to become more accessible and safer for heavy vehicles and motorists.
Work on the specific stretch of road will include the widening and rehabilitation of pavement, widening nine culverts and sealing the section of road.
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, expressed her support for the project’s commencement.
“These improvements will benefit all road users, including drivers of heavy vehicles who regularly use this route hauling freight across NSW,” she said.
“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.
According to Aitchison, rehabilitating the road surface to make it more resilient will also reduce the need for ongoing pavement maintenance, improve the experience for road users and reduce disruptions due to roadworks.
Independent Member for Barwon, Roy Butler, highlighted the utility of these refurbishments, discussing the current issues the highway faces against strong weather conditions.
“In recent years the Oxley Highway has proven to be particularly prone to floods, but this work will help to improve the road’s ability to resist future flood events and remain open,” he said.
“It is important to not just 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.”
Construction will be carried out over the next eight months and will affect traffic conditions in the area, closing some single lanes and reducing speed limits to 40km/h through the work zone.
The work will be completed on weekdays between 7am and 8pm and on Saturdays between 8am and 1pm, weather permitting.
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