A $13.9 million upgrade on a 1.8-kilometre section of the Sturt Highway is scheduled to begin.
Taking place on the eastern approach to Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, the upgrades will completely reconstruct the road with a new surface and new kerb on the northern and southern sides.
The project will also include lane widening and configuration changes to provide dedicated turning lanes.
The changes will provide a smoother surface that is less prone to road damage and potholes and provide a safer and more comfortable journey for all road users.
The first stage of this project (between Tasman Road and Blaxland Road) will start on 4 March and is expected to take 11 weeks to complete.
The second stage of upgrades, taking place from east of Blaxland Road to Stuart Road, will be delivered in the 2025-26 financial year.
“The Sturt Highway provides a strategic freight and access link from Sydney via the Hume Highway to Mildura in Victoria and on to Adelaide in South Australia,” said NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison.
“It also serves as a local and regional access corridor to and from regional centres along the route, especially Wagga Wagga, to enable customers to access goods, services and employment.”
According to Member for Wagga Wagga, Joe McGirr, these works will deliver a safer, smoother Sturt Highway for thousands of users every day.
“A renewed east/west link means better travel for local business and residents, and moving forward, I’ll also be advocating for major north/south improvements, including a second river crossing which will be critical to Wagga Wagga’s future,” he said.
Given the area’s high amounts of traffic, construction will be carried out under traffic control with lane closures and reduced speed limits in place.
Detours around the work area will be in place at various stages of the project.
Most of the work will take place between 7am and 6pm, with some night work also planned.
In other news, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has released a new log haulage Code of Practice for consultation.
