Seymour Whyte & SMEC appointed to deliver NSW Barton Highway upgrade

Contractors Seymour Whyte and SMEC will be partnering with Transport for NSW – under the Barton Highway Upgrade Project Alliance Agreement – to design and construct Stage 1 of the $100 million project. 

“The first stage in the Barton Highway upgrade will see a fully duplicated highway between Murrumbateman and the ACT, adding capacity, easing congestion and enhancing safety for the community. 

“The award of contract means major construction is expected to start later this year, which is great news for commuters travelling between Canberra, Murrumbateman and Yass,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said. 

Once construction is completed, the new four-lane highway will provide improved safety, reduced travel times as well as an increase in freight productivity to the 13,000 motorists travelling this route each day. 

“We are investing in our post-pandemic future by delivering lasting infrastructure which will kick-start our economic recovery and benefit Australians for years to come,” Minister McCormack added. 

The Barton Highway Upgrade is going to be delivered under an alliance model to ensure that the project can be completed faster and more efficiently and delivering benefits to communities sooner. 

“We took this same approach on the Newell Highway Upgrade Program, entering into an alliance agreement with the private sector, which is seeing us delivering that program ahead of schedule, while at the same time creating jobs in regional communities. 

“The first stage of the Barton Highway duplication is expected to provide about 80 jobs, which shows how serious we are about keeping money and jobs in local economies during these challenging times,” NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said. 

Project map (source: Transport for NSW)

The Barton Highway Upgrade includes installation of state-of-the-art electronic message boards and closed-circuit televisions (CCTV), which have now been done along the Barton Highway and Yass Valley Way. 

“The permanent electronic message boards use real-time technology to advise road users of changed traffic conditions, journey times and provide fog detection warnings to help road users navigate changing weather and traffic conditions. 

“CCTV cameras will play a pivotal role when duplication work starts on the highway from the ACT border towards Murrumbateman, feeding live traffic information back to the Traffic Management Centre so electronic signs can be updated quickly,” Senator Zed Seselja said. 

In addition, Transport for NSW has also released a submissions report that summarises all feedback regarding the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the Barton Highway Upgrade project. 

“Thanks to the responses received during the submission period, we have made a key design improvement by adding a dedicated right turn from the highway to Kaveneys Road to improve safety. 

“We’re tackling the ACT border to Murrumbateman section first because that’s where the most difference will be made to safety and efficiency in the short term,” Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman said. 

Mrs Tuckerman added that the Murrumbateman Village Safety Improvement Project is due to be completed by the end of the month, making this section of the highway safer for pedestrians as well as cyclists. 

The $100 million Barton Highway duplication project is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales Governments, each contributing $50 million. In addition, the Australian Government will further invest $100 million, pending further planning. 

Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development; Transport for NSW – Roads and Maritime; Roads & Infrastructure Australia