Planning is set to begin on duplication of the New England Highway at a notorious pinch point between Muswellbrook to Singleton, after the project won funding in Tuesday's federal budget.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The highway upgrade is part of an enormous $46 million cash splash the Commonwealth government has budgeted to spend on road upgrades for the New England electorate.
More than half of the NSW allocation of a national spend of $880 million in new funding for upgrades to national roads of strategic importance will be spent on the New England Highway.
The scheme is designed to boost the standard of the country's key freight corridors.
READ MORE:
The government will spend a $30 million on a general upgrade of any problem spots on the entire NSW section of the New England Highway, from Tenterfield to Newcastle.
The government will also spend $8 million planning improvement works on the Gwydir Highway between Moree and Grafton.
The upgrade is likely to include passing lanes for cars travelling over the Great Dividing Range and improved road safety through the provision of safety barriers, intersection improvements and road widening.
The government already committed $153 million in upgrades to Port Stephens Cutting, on works to double-lane the Goonoo Goonoo Road section of the highway and to build a bypass around Tenterfield at last year's mid-year economic and fiscal outlook.
Deputy Prime Minister and local MP Barnaby Joyce said the millions of dollars in new tarmac would make the region stronger, creating jobs and better roads for tourists, locals and freight.
"These routes run north to south and east to west in our electorate. Duplicating the New England Highway maintains it as the authentic alternative north to south route between Brisbane and Sydney, bringing in the tourists and taking out the products," he said.
"There is more to come and we will continue to fight for greater funding."
The state government will contribute 20 per cent of the cost of both projects, which both cost $10 million.
Mr Joyce said the upgrade to the Hunter Valley Expressway in Muswellbrook will make the vital north-south highway a much safer road for travellers to Newcastle, or Sydney. It is also designed to improve network efficiency on the New England Highway for freight and passenger vehicles.
The specific problem spots on the New England to be funded through the national roads of strategic importance program will be identified in consultation with other governments and road users. NSW will received $50 million in funding through the program.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News