Dustys Creek

Transport for NSW has partnered with BMD and AECOM to form the Newell Highway Program Alliance.

The strategic partnership will deliver about 40 additional overtaking lanes in an estimated four years rather than the likely eight years it would take to fund and deliver this work using traditional procurement methods.

This innovative delivery mode will result in a minimum of 60 kilometres of new overtaking lanes to improve safety, reduce travel times, allow more accurate travel planning and improve freight efficiency.

The new overtaking lanes are expected to provide around 33 minutes of travel time savings along the length of the Newell Highway from the Victorian to the Queensland border.

The Australian Government has approved $76.54 million for safety improvement works to be carried out next to seven of the overtaking lane projects.

The work includes widening the road shoulders and centreline, and installing rumble strips along the highway.

Construction of the pair of overtaking lanes on the Newell Highway at Dusty’s Creek, 10 kilometres north of Gilgandra, was completed on 29 November 2019.

The safety improvement work that included widening the road shoulders is now complete.

The benefits of the project include:

• Improved safety for motorists and road users
• Reduced travel times
• More accurate travel planning
• Improved freight efficiency

In response to recent restrictions and for the safety of staff, contractors and the community, work is being carried out on a two-week rotating roster.

This measure enables work on the overtaking lane sites to continue during this unprecedented time and continue to help support regional economies.

Workdays and hours are:

Week 1

• Tuesday to Friday: 7am - 6pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 8am to 6pm

Week 2

• Monday to Thursday: 7am to 6pm
• Friday to Monday: no work.

Motorists are advised of changed traffic conditions including a reduced speed limit of 40 km/h and 60 km/h during work hours and reduced limit of 80 km/h after hours, which may affect travel times.

All motorists are advised to drive to the conditions and follow the directions of signs and traffic control.

For the latest traffic updates, you can call 132 701, visit the Live Traffic NSW website or download the Live Traffic NSW App.

The project team will keep the community regularly informed as the work progresses.

Thank you for your understanding while we complete this important work.

• March 2021 project notification

  Safety improvement work on the Newell Highway, north of Gilgandra from 23 March 2021.

• June 2019 project notification
  Newell Highway overtaking lanes work continues.

• May 2019 project notification
  Work on the overtaking lanes at Dustys Creek, north of Gilgandra, to continue.