Safety barriers, wider road shoulders and new line markings are among the safety improvements now complete on a section of the Mitchell Highway at Cooba Road, west of Dubbo.
Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said the $1.25 million project, delivered by the NSW Government’s Safer Roads program, will create safer and more efficient journeys for road users.
“This section of the Mitchell Highway, which accommodates a lot of traffic as people travel between Dubbo and Narromine, previously had little to no road shoulders, making it difficult for vehicles that leave the road to recover,” Mr Saunders said.
“Investigations revealed in the five years to June 2016, there were nine crashes, with three resulting in serious injuries on the one-and-a-half kilometre section of road.
“Improvements to the road included installing safety barriers, widening the road shoulders, improving the clear zone and sight lines, and installing new curve marker signs.
“Living in regional NSW often means more time spent on the road, which is why we’re committed to delivering the projects that ensure those who set off on a journey return home safely to their loved ones.”
The NSW Government has invested more than $300 million state-wide in the Safer Roads Program in the past two years to deliver 113 kilometres of barriers, 3,000 kilometres of rumble strips and 2,800 kilometres of wide centreline across the state.
In addition to the safety upgrades, the NSW Government has committed $18 million to build three overtaking lanes on the Mitchell Highway between Dubbo and Narromine, with early work continuing including environmental studies, civil road design and field investigations.