The NSW Government has announced and additional $46 million for new road safety projects with Armidale, Moree and major New England and North Coast links set to benefit.
Marking Rural Road Safety Month, the funding will target high-risk stretches of road across the region, including key routes around Armidale, Moree, and across to the coast.
Several major inland corridors have been prioritised, including $7.9 million for the New England Highway and $8.6 million for the Newell Highway through the Moree Plains. The Kamilaroi Highway will receive $2.2 million for safety works, while $4.4 million will go to the Gwydir Highway.
Crossings over the Great Dividing Range are also in line for improvements. The Waterfall Way east of Armidale will receive $5 million, the Oxley Highway $1.5 million, and the Bruxner Highway that hugs the Queensland border $1.2 million. $2.1 million has also been allocated to Summerland Way connecting Casino and Grafton.
This is the second announcement of significant funding for local roads, with a pothole blitz and repaving works announced three weeks ago, just days after a widespread call to improve safety on New England’s roads.
Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison said the program reinforced the government’s commitment to rural road safety.
“The NSW Government is reinforcing its commitment to regional road safety, with nearly $46 million reinvested into upgrades like safety barriers, wider shoulders, and clearer line markings that benefit our regional communities,” Ms Aitchison said.
The works will include shoulder widening, new safety barriers, wider centre lines and audio tactile markings designed to reduce road trauma. Transport for NSW estimates the upgrades will prevent more than 2,000 fatal or serious injuries.
“Infrastructure improvements are crucial to reducing crash risks and saving lives.”
While only a third of NSW residents live in the regions, two-thirds of the state’s road fatalities occur on country roads. Launched in 2023, the Towards Zero Safer Roads Program has already delivered $328.5 million across 198 projects, most of them in rural and regional areas.
“We know around 70 per cent of all fatalities happen on regional roads, and 85 per cent of all fatal crashes on country roads involve a country resident,” Ms Aitchison said.
“Rural Road Safety Month is a reminder for every motorist to take responsibility for yourself and for every life around you when on the state’s road network.”
Minister for Regional NSW and Minister for Western NSW Tara Moriarty said the upgrades to the would improve safety for local people and freight.
“This is a win for the safety of country roads used by locals heading to town or trucks freighting crops, livestock and produce to market and the supplies back to farms,” Ms Moriarty said.
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