Mitchell Highway (Cobra Street) and Fitzroy Street - Dubbo road projects

The NSW Government has invested $14 million to upgrade the Mitchell Highway (Cobra Street) and Fitzroy Street intersection to improve safety and efficiency.

Latest news

Dec 2021 - Project completion

In December 2021, the new Mitchell Highway (Cobra Street) and Fitzroy Street upgraded intersection was completed. The intersection now provides three approach lanes, including dedicated right turn lanes and all access legs to the intersection and safer departures under regulated directional traffic flow. New central medians have been installed and designated pedestrian signalled crossings to enable pedestrian connectivity through the intersection in all directions.

Project information

Background

Transport for NSW has completed a detailed design of the Mitchell Highway (Cobra Street) and Fitzroy Street intersection upgrade project.

This section of the Mitchell Highway, in the centre of Dubbo, is a key route for residents, commuters and visitors and a vital route between Dubbo and Orange.

The upgrade will involve widening the highway, providing new pedestrian crossings, improved street lighting and foot ramps to improve wheelchair and pram access as well as building a new and improved road.

Early work has started, which included the removal of trees to enable the future widening work and establishing a site compound.

To offset the loss of these trees, advanced jacaranda trees were planted in 2016 along the eastern and southern boundaries of Elston Park.

Features

The Mitchell Highway (Cobra Street) and Fitzroy Street intersection upgrade includes the following features:

Traffic lights will replace the existing roundabout
New pedestrian crossings on all four sides of the intersection, with foot ramps to improve wheelchair and pram access
Widened intersection to improve traffic flow
Relocating some underground service utilities and overhead power
Improvements to street lighting
Improvements to road quality.

News archive 2021

November 2021 - Night works to construct new pavement

Between Friday 19 November and Saturday 27 November, weather permitting, Transport for NSW will be constructing new pavement along all four legs of the intersection. This will allow the new permanent traffic lights to be switched on before the end of the year. The work will be carried across seven night shifts.

For more information please read the November 2021 notification letter (PDF, 591Kb).

October 2021 - Temporary roundabout at the Mitchell Highway and Fitzroy Street intersection

From Friday 29 October, Transport for NSW will install a temporary roundabout to prepare for the next stage of works at the Mitchell Highway (Cobra Street) and Fitzroy Street intersection in Dubbo. To minimise impact on motorists, preparation for this next stage of works will take place at night between 5pm and 7am on Friday 29 October. Read the October project update (PDF,365Kb).

October 2021 - Concreting on Fitzroy Street

From Tuesday 19 October, kerb and guttering concrete work will commence on Fitzroy Street for up to 10 days.

Read more in the October notification (PDF, 865Kb).

October 2021 - New pavement works Stage 2

From Sunday 10 October, Transport for NSW will start the second stage of pavement works at the Mitchell Highway (Cobra Street) and Fitzroy Street intersection in Dubbo. To minimise impact on motorists, preparation work for this next stage will take place at night between 6pm and 7am. Read the project update (PDF, 705Kb).

September 2021 - New pavement works stage 1

From Sunday 19 September 2021, Transport for NSW will start the first stage of building new pavement at the intersection. To minimise the impact on motorists, preparation work will take place at night between 6pm and 7am on Sunday 19 September.

Pavements works will begin on Monday 20 September 2021 between 7am and 6pm Monday to Saturday. It is expected the work will take three weeks to complete.

Changed traffic conditions and detour arrangements will be in place. To read the full update view the September 2021 project notification (PDF, 245Kb).

March 2021 - Current work

From mid-March motorists will notice the upgrade of kerbing, footpaths and driveways. Transport for NSW has extended the original area of this work to improve pedestrian access and connectivity to local neighbourhoods.

A number of changes have been made to the roundabout including reduced single lane entry and exit on each leg of the intersection. These changes are required to ensure the safety of motorists, pedestrians and workers and to maintain access to surrounding businesses and residences

Work to date includes upgraded street lighting, installation of new underground power, realignment of three water mains and the relocation of Jemena gas mains and telecommunication networks.

In order to help minimise the impact to businesses and motorists, many of these activities have been carried out at night. The intersection improvements are running on time with completion still on track for late 2021.

Transport for NSW thanks residents, businesses and motorists for their patience during this important work.

News archive 2020

August 2020 - Utility relocation work

Utility relocation work continues at the Mitchell Highway and Fitzroy Street intersection surrounds. Over the last two months the project team have upgraded three separate water mains between Quinn Street and Bultje Street.

Construction of new underground electrical conduits are taking place for planned upgrades to the electrical network, as well as relocation of communication infrastructure.

From late August early drainage works are planned to continue at the intersection, as the project team manage many site challenges, such as the congestion of existing infrastructure, maintaining operational service stations and minimising impacts to fronting residences as much as possible.

Motorists, residents and businesses are advised there will be ongoing work, including night work and local light and heavy vehicle detours until October.

Transport for NSW thanks motorists for their patience during this important upgrade work.

June 2020 - Early work progresses on the Mitchell Highway

Early work started in October 2019 and utility relocation work started in April 2020.

Telecommunication and Jemena gas relocation work is currently being completed at the intersection. The relocation and adjustments to electrical mains, water mains and other services will continue through until October, with the next steps to include drainage and other civil works from November.

February 2020 - Consultation Report is now available

Transport for NSW invited the community and stakeholders to view the proposed design for the Mitchell Highway (Cobra Street) and Fitzroy Street intersection upgrade from Monday 27 May 2019 until Friday 28 June 2019 as part of the Building a Better Dubbo program. During this time, Transport for NSW received a total of 22 responses to the design.

The Building a Better Dubbo 2019 Consultation Report is now available to view or download (PDF, 8.25Mb). The report provides a summary of all suggestions, issues and concerns raised by the community and stakeholders in submissions to the Mitchell Highway (Cobra Street) and Fitzroy Street intersection upgrade, as well as Transport for NSW's responses.

At the end of 2019, Transport for NSW engaged a specialist consultant to conduct property condition assessments on properties in close proximity to the Cobra Street Fitzroy Street intersection.

While Transport does not expect our construction activities to have any impact on homes or business premises, we conduct precautionary activities for the benefit of the community and our customers.

All property condition assessments have now been completed, and reports are being prepared for property owners.

Heading into 2020, you will see some construction activities commencing around the intersection, with fences being moved and early utility works starting.