Almost $50 million will come from government coffers to improve transport and freight links in country New South Wales
May 3, 2013
Almost $50 million will come from government coffers to improve transport and freight links in country New South Wales, including opening up more of the network to higher mass limits (HML).
The Federal Government will go halves with the NSW Government to provide the funding, of which $10 million has been allocated to building new overtaking lanes on the Newell Highway.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese says close to $40 million will go to replacing the Kapooka Rail Bridge along the Olympic Highway, near Wagga Wagga.
“Kapooka Rail Bridge is carrying an increasing number of heavy freight vehicles—about 150,000 truck movements each year—and this funding will result in the bridge being replaced and the removal of sharp curves on either side of the current structure,” he says.
“Once completed, the project will open 315km of road for additional higher mass limit use, removing 4,200 heavy vehicle trips each year.”
The new bridge will cross the main southern railway to the north of the current crossing, which NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay says will benefit both local traffic and freight vehicles.
The new overtaking lanes are planned in the vicinity of 32km north of Moree, 19km north of Jerilderie, 58km north of Jerilderie and 15km north of Parkes.
Gay says the lanes will reduce travel times and improve road safety.
“The extra overtaking lanes on the Newell also will help support freight movements in rural NSW,” he says.
“Large volumes of freight are carried on this route every day and it is important we provide motorists with safe passing opportunities along this vital route which runs through the spine of country NSW.”
