Barton Highway

Reviewed

Project overview

The Australian Government and NSW Government have together committed $200 million towards the upgrade of the Barton Highway, with $150 million provided by the Australian Government and $50 million by the NSW Government.

This funding is being used across two projects along the corridor, with Stage 1 already under construction (the Barton Highway Upgrade Package), and Stage 2 in planning (the Barton Highway Corridor Upgrade).

This work will improve road safety while enhancing tourism, driving economic growth and creating vibrant regional spaces.

Barton Highway Improvement Strategy - Barton Highway

project

The Barton Highway Improvement Strategy sets out the NSW Government’s 20-year plan to guide the development and management of the corridor to improve road user safety and traffic efficiency and to ensure the long-term development of the highway is supported.

Barton Highway Upgrade Package - Stage 1 - Barton Highway

project

The Barton Highway is an essential part of the NSW and ACT transport network, connecting communities to essential services, employment, healthcare, education opportunities and supporting freight movement.

Barton Highway Corridor Upgrade - Stage 2 - Barton Highway

project

The Australian and NSW Governments have together committed $200 million towards the upgrade of the Barton Highway, with $150 million provided by the Australian Government and $50 million by the NSW Government.

Latest news

Mar 2023 - Community update

Road users are advised of changed traffic conditions on the Barton Highway at the intersections of Nanima Road as part of the Barton Highway Upgrade.

To limit impacts on the community, work will be carried out at night, and will include removing a culvert, installing a new drainage line and completing road work at the intersection. 

Work will be carried out for three nights from Monday 3 April between 6pm and 7am. Work is expected to be completed by 7am Thursday 6 April, weather permitting.

Traffic control, partial lane closures and reduced speed limits of 40 km/h will be in place for the safety of workers and road users.

Jan 2023 - Summer community update

A community update sharing our work so far on the first and second stages of the Barton Highway is now available.

Despite the Stage 1 project receiving a monthly record of 200 millimetres of rain in October, Stage 1 work is progressing with the road foundation layers nearing completion from Church Lane to Gooromon Ponds and work starting on the southern interim tie-in.

The update includes details about our recent community events, Stage 1 work that we’ve completed and the latest updates for Stage 2.

Tree planting success

More than 900 plants have been planted along the Barton Highway corridor to help create habitat connectivity and linkages along the western side of the dual carriageway that is currently being built.

We had a great turn-out of local community members at a community tree planting day in August, with local Landcare groups, Traditional Owners and Transport staff working together to plant 400 trees and 560 shrubs.

Volunteers planted seedling-sized plants across nine sites to create stepping stones of the box gum grassy woodland which are expected to grow significantly over the next three months following spring rainfall.

These stepping stones will link box gum woodland at Hall to a significant biodiversity corridor near Rolfe Road which crosses the highway and leads towards the Murrumbidgee River.

Specific species were carefully chosen due to their existing presence in our local environment and to ensure they are suitable for the local soil and climate conditions.

Transport worked with local Landcare groups to develop a list of species that are climate-ready and create a seamless linkage throughout the existing landscape to establish a box gum grassy woodland. The chosen species will create the critically endangered ecological community of the box gum grassy woodland of which there is only 10 per cent estimated to be left in reasonable condition.

The smaller shrubs, including wattle, will create a really important habitat for small birds and other animals and are expected to attract species such as sugar gliders.

Looking further into the future, 100-year-old mature eucalypt trees which are able to develop hollows will be a critical breeding habitat to other endangered species such as the Swift Parrot.

 

Future Transport 2056

In 2017 the Australian and NSW governments announced funding to begin the duplication of the Barton Highway in NSW. Duplicating the highway will ensure safer and more reliable journeys for almost 13,000 road users who use the Barton Highway daily.

The section of highway from the ACT border towards Murrumbateman was identified for immediate duplication. The existing highway will become the southbound carriageway and the new lanes will be the northbound carriageway.

During detailed design we will be working with the road construction industry to maximise the length of duplication that can be delivered with the available funding.

For more information view Future Transport.

 

Barton Highway upgrade map

Project documents

Some documents on this page may not comply with accessibility requirements (WCAG).

If you are having trouble accessing information in these documents, please contact us.

 

Community updates

Media releases

Contact us

For further information about this project, please contact:

Phone: 1800 931 250 (toll free)

Email: barton.highway@transport.nsw.gov.au

Mail: Transport for NSW, PO Box 484, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650