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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND<br />
More overtaking lanes on the Newell<br />
Safety and timesaving<br />
benefits<br />
for freight<br />
transport<br />
through joint<br />
government<br />
infrastructure<br />
projects<br />
WORK TO PROVIDE more overtaking<br />
opportunities on the Newell Highway<br />
has taken another leap forward with<br />
two lanes recently completed at<br />
Redbank and Coobang.<br />
Federal transport minister Michael<br />
McCormack says the investment in<br />
new lanes is to improve the safety and<br />
the efficiency of this key freight and<br />
tourism corridor.<br />
“Road users on the Newell Highway<br />
are already experiencing improved<br />
safety and more efficient travel times<br />
with 17 new lanes now completed,<br />
including the northbound overtaking<br />
lane near Parkes and the southbound<br />
overtaking lane at Redbank, near<br />
Coonabarabran,” McCormack says.<br />
“We look forward to the remaining<br />
overtaking lanes being delivered,<br />
providing even greater freight<br />
productivity and safer and more<br />
enjoyable journeys on the Newell<br />
Highway.”<br />
NSW minister for regional transport<br />
and roads Paul Toole says the rollout<br />
of the overtaking lanes was being<br />
accelerated through a strategic<br />
partnership with industry.<br />
“To date, we’ve added 25 kilometres<br />
of overtaking lanes on the Newell<br />
Highway, enabling more efficient<br />
freight transport and providing<br />
around 15 minutes in time-saving<br />
benefits to motorists,” Toole says.<br />
“By the end of 2021, we expect to<br />
have delivered 25 lanes as part of our<br />
commitment to build a safer, stronger<br />
road network in regional NSW.”<br />
Federal member for Parkes<br />
and minister for regional health,<br />
regional communications and local<br />
government, Mark Coulton, says the<br />
Newell Highway works were helping<br />
save lives on the state’s busiest freight<br />
corridor.<br />
“With these investments, we are<br />
playing a part in reducing the<br />
occurrence of fatigue-related crashes<br />
on the Newell Highway,” Coulton says.<br />
“Extending these overtaking lanes<br />
will make using them less hazardous,<br />
providing everyone with a safer and<br />
more reliable road network in regional<br />
NSW – one that will get motorists<br />
home sooner and safer to their<br />
families.<br />
“It will also be a huge fillip for<br />
freight, which will bring major benefits<br />
to the region.”<br />
NSW MP Sam Farraway says this<br />
initiative is another example of the<br />
Australian and New South Wales<br />
governments working together to build<br />
productive infrastructure that the local<br />
community and economy need.<br />
This commitment is reflected in a<br />
further $59.5 million package of safety<br />
improvement work to be rolled out at<br />
seven projects, starting at Dustys Creek<br />
and Redbank.<br />
Work involves widening the<br />
shoulders and centre line, as well as<br />
installing audio-tactile line marking<br />
“It will also be a huge fillip for freight,<br />
which will bring major benefits to<br />
the region.”<br />
on the edges and centre of the road.<br />
These safety improvements along<br />
a one kilometre section at Dustys<br />
Creek and a five kilometre section at<br />
Redbank are also being delivered by<br />
the Newell Highway Program Alliance.<br />
Work at Dustys Creek started on<br />
March 23 and is expected to take<br />
three months to complete, weather<br />
permitting, with work at Redbank also<br />
underway.<br />
In the 2020-21 Budget, the Australian<br />
government announced $591.6<br />
million in a joint $736.6 million<br />
investment with the NSW government<br />
for infrastructure projects along the<br />
Newell Highway, including $60 million<br />
towards overtaking lanes.<br />
Upgraded heavy vehicle<br />
inspection bays for Newell<br />
A $2.3 million upgrade to heavy<br />
vehicle inspection station bays<br />
in the New South Wales central<br />
west will drive improved heavy<br />
vehicle safety along one of the<br />
state’s busiest freight corridors,<br />
the NSW government says.<br />
Minister for Regional Transport<br />
and Roads Paul Toole said<br />
work to upgrade heavy vehicle<br />
inspection bays on both sides of<br />
the Newell Highway near Back<br />
Yamma Road at Daroobalgie<br />
between Parkes and Forbes<br />
commenced in March.<br />
“The NSW government is<br />
already investing more than<br />
$720 million as part of the<br />
Newell Highway Upgrade<br />
Program to improve productivity<br />
right along the Newell,<br />
particularly for trucks – and it’s<br />
critical we also invest in safety<br />
as part of our vision for safer<br />
and stronger regions,” Toole<br />
says.<br />
“This upgrade to the heavy<br />
vehicle inspection bays at<br />
Daroobalgie will include a<br />
new inspection shed, boom<br />
gates, improved safety barriers<br />
and resurfacing of the road<br />
approaches.<br />
“It will ultimately improve<br />
efficiency and safety by enabling<br />
more heavy vehicles to be<br />
checked at different times of<br />
the day.”<br />
Work commenced on March 8,<br />
which Sam Farraway, member<br />
of the Legislative Council, says is<br />
supporting around 15 jobs.<br />
“Our heavy vehicle inspectors<br />
play a critical role in ensuring<br />
the safety of trucks on our roads<br />
but some of the inspection<br />
facilities themselves are quite<br />
basic,” he says.<br />
“The existing heavy vehicle<br />
inspection bays will have roofs<br />
built over them to protect<br />
workers and freight operators<br />
from the elements.<br />
“A new amenities block<br />
including a shower, toilets<br />
and small storage room with<br />
disabled access ramp will also<br />
be built.”<br />
During the work, which is<br />
expected to be completed<br />
soon, heavy vehicle inspections<br />
will still be carried out along<br />
the Newell Highway in various<br />
locations.<br />
Motorists are advised to follow<br />
the direction of traffic control<br />
and all signs, including reduced<br />
speed limits.<br />
18 APRIL 2021 ownerdriver.com.au