Snowy Mountains Highway - Batlow Road intersection

The Snowy Mountains Highway is an important freight and tourism link, connecting regional NSW with the South Coast, and the local timber industry with the Hume Highway and ports of Sydney and Melbourne.

Batlow Road connects the towns of Batlow, Laurel Hill and Tumbarumba with the Snowy Mountains Highway and the regional centre of Tumut.

Snowy Mountains Highway and Batlow Road provide:

• access for timber and agricultural distribution
• connectivity to regional centres
• a public transport route for school buses
• a tourist and commuter route linking the Hume Highway, Tumut, National Parks and the Snowy Mountains to the east

Batlow Road meets the Snowy Mountains Highway at a T-intersection, five kilometres west of Tumut.

From July 2015 to June 2020, there were three reported crashes at the intersection, including one fatal crash and two moderate injury crashes.

Transport for NSW understands there may have been more minor collisions or near-misses in this time that went unreported.

In June 2023, Transport for NSW carried out additional safety improvements at the Snowy Mountains Highway and Batlow Road intersection.

Electronic vehicle activated signage was installed on the Snowy Mountains Highway to warn drivers to slow down as they approach the intersection.

The signs light up to warn motorists on the Snowy Mountains Highway of vehicles moving through the intersection from Batlow Road.

The sensor activated signs also light up to advise motorists to slow down if they are travelling over the 80 km/h speed limit and when there is fog and ice on the road.

This work is part of safety improvements based on feedback received during community consultation in 2020.

Transport for NSW called for community feedback on past experiences, issues and concerns at the intersection of Snowy Mountains Highway and Batlow Road between Monday 27 July and Monday 31 August 2020.

This feedback was instrumental in helping Transport for NSW understand the community’s challenges and concerns at the intersection. 

All comments and suggestions were considered and investigated in full to help understand the best safety outcome for the community.

Consultation with the community is an important part of safety improvements at the Snowy Mountains Highway-Batlow Road intersection.

Transport for NSW thanks all community members and stakeholders who participated in the consultation period.

• February 2021 project notification

  Safety improvements at Snowy Mountains Highway and Batlow Road intersection, near Tumut.

• Community consultation report