Mungle Back Creek to Boggabilla

The Newell Highway upgrade, Mungle Back Creek to Boggabilla was officially opened on 13 April by Hon Mark Coulton MP, Member for Parkes, Hon Paul Toole MP, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads and Hon Adam Marshall MP, Member for Northern Tablelands.

Work on the 27.2 kilometre stretch of the Newell Highway began in November 2018 and includes a new road surface, intersection improvements, widening of road shoulders and two new overtaking lanes improving safety and travel times.

This new section of road will ensure a safer, smoother and faster journey for motorists as well as meeting existing and future freight needs along this section of the Newell Highway.

Almost 600 people worked on the project during the 29 months of construction, equating to over 518,000 work hours.

Indigenous outcomes as mandated in the Indigenous Participation Plan under the Indigenous Employment and Supplier Use Infrastructure Framework were achieved.

This month marks two years since construction commenced in November 2018. Stage 1, an eighteen kilometre length along the highway opened to traffic in May 2020. It included completing the largest intersection on the project, where the road has been widened to accommodate large trucks, and included a new dedicated turning lane constructed for motorists travelling south into Letterbox Road. Stage 1 also included two overtaking lanes, widened shoulders and a wide centreline.

From Friday 20 November the full 27 kilometre project length is open to road users ahead of the Christmas holidays.

Final work will be carried out over the coming months before the 110 km/h speed limit is applied to this section of the Newell Highway.

Late 2019 the Australian Government committed further funding for Stage 2 of the project, upgrading a further 9 kilometres of the Highway. This extends the current project further 4 kilometres to the south and 5 kilometres in the north to the town of Boggabilla. Work on Stage 2 commenced in January this year.

The upgrade will also include a wide centreline to allow more room between vehicles, and improve safety along this important section of road, which is known for being narrow and uneven.

During construction speed will be restricted to 40km/h, 60km/h and 80km/h at different times. Please allow extra travel time and follow the direction of traffic controllers and signs. Work will take place from Monday to Friday between 7am and 6pm.

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

Transport for NSW awarded the construction contract for this major project to Fulton Hogan Construction Pty Ltd, in August 2018.

• Increase travel reliability between Mungle Back Creek and Boggabilla
• Reduce travel times and the cost of maintenancealong the Newell Highway
• Improve road safety for road users
• Provide a new road surface to meet the existing and future freight needs along this section of the  Newell
• Improve the Newell Highway flood immunity where feasible and reasonable
• Support regional and local economic development.

The upgrade of the Newell highway between Mungle Back Creek and Boggabilla would include:

• provide a new road surface
• widen the existing highway or construct a new two lane highway adjacent to the existing highway
• provide dedicated overtaking lanes
• upgrade intersections
• improve access to private property
• provide road delineation, sign posting and roadside furniture
• upgrade drainage to improve the Newell Highway flood immunity when feasible and reasonable.

The project objectives are to:

• increase travel reliability and reduce travel times on the Newell Highway
• reduce vehicle operating costs on the Newell Highway
• reduce the costs of maintaining the Newell Highway
• improve the safety of the Newell Highway
• improve freight efficiency.

Other supporting objectives are to:

• ensure route development meets the standards required of the National Land Transport Network
• develop a proposal that contributes to the economic development of the region and improves transport efficiency on this section of the Newell Highway in terms of travel time and vehicle operating costs
• ensure that all potential impacts of the proposal on the local community are assessed and appropriate mitigation measures are developed
• ensure broad road safety objectives are met by reducing the crash rate along the Newell Highway
• ensure an adequate level of service for existing and predicted traffic volumes
• ensure route development minimises the impact on environmentally sensitive areas and that appropriate mitigation measures are included in the proposal to manage any impact
• ensure stakeholder involvement in all phases of the proposal development
• ensure compatibility of the road network and the long-term land use planning for the area.

• April 2021 community update
  The Newell Highway upgrade Mungle Back Creek to Boggabilla officially opened.

• June 2020 community update
  Newell Highway upgrade Mungle Back Creek to Boggabilla.

• December 2019 community update
  Newell Highway upgrade.

• December 2018 community update
  Mungle Back Creek to Boggabilla.

• February 2017 project update
  Newell Highway upgrade.

• April 2021 APiC close out report (PDF, 374.31 KB)
  Newell Highway Mungle Back Creek to Boggabilla heavy duty pavement.
• February 2021 APiC on the project (PDF, 403.34 KB)
  Newell Highway Mungle Back Creek to Boggabilla heavy duty pavement.
• May 2017 submissions report

  Newell Highway Mungle Back Creek to Boggabilla heavy duty pavement.

• February 2017 review of environmental factors
  Newell Highway Mungle Back Creek to Boggabilla heavy duty pavement.

• April 2018 Environment Protection Licence

• 28 May 2020

  Freight route strengthened along Newell Highway from Mungle Back Creek to Boggabilla.