An additional funding valued at $178 million has been committed to deliver up to 141 life-saving road projects across the metro and regional areas of New South Wales.
These projects are part of a joint investment that will get critical road upgrades completed within the 2021-22 financial year.
“This brings the Australian Government’s total commitment to NSW to over $420 million through our $3 billion nationwide Road Safety Program.
“Our Government is committed to keeping our communities safe, while securing our economic recovery – because investing in these infrastructure upgrades and jobs now will lay the foundation for a better future tomorrow.
“The funding supports the fast roll-out of life-saving safety works on rural and regional roads, and is another example of the Australian Government working to reduce the number of Australians missing around the dinner table due to tragedies on our roads,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said.
These road safety improvements will not only be beneficial to motorists but will also protect pedestrians and cyclists.
Through these upgrades, vital links between regional communities as well as city centres are improved to provide better access to health, education and food services.
“There will be an emphasis on road widening, shoulder sealing, rumble strips, median treatments to prevent head-on collisions, barriers to prevent run-off-road crashes and new shared paths.
“Every death on our road is a tragedy, which is why we have committed record funding to upgrade over 1,400 kilometres of road across the state to ensure drivers get home safely to their loved ones,” NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said.
Tranche 2 of the Road Safety Program will be delivering much-needed road improvements that will keep motorists safe and, at the same time, support local jobs.
The 141 new projects across New South Wales are anticipated to support up to 1,000 jobs, providing an economic boost at a time when it is needed the most.
“With the pandemic continuing to impact our jobs, economy and livelihoods, it is vital that this Government continues to prioritise the roll-out of these projects that are supporting employment in regional communities.
“This investment in road safety is key to underpinning a safer, stronger road network in the bush,” NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said.
According to Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz, investment in regional and rural road upgrades is worth every dollar as it is guarantees drivers get home safely after each road trip.
“Making our roads safer forms part of our governments’ shared vision to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads and move towards achieving vision zero – that is zero deaths or serious injuries on our roads by 2050.
“We are also investing significantly in other life-saving road safety initiatives including the Black Spot Program, Targeted Road Safety Works initiative and Road Safety Innovation Fund.
“This additional funding complements that work, resulting in an even greater roll out of improved infrastructure and roads right across the nation,” Assistant Minister Buchholz said.
Funds committed through the Road Safety Program are subject to ‘use it or lose it’ provisions that require states and territories to utilise their notionally allocated funds within a timeframe. Unused funds can be reallocated to projects in other jurisdictions.
Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development; Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport; The Nationals for Regional NSW