West Wyalong heavy vehicle alternative route

Reviewed

Project overview

Transport for NSW has upgraded the West Wyalong heavy vehicle alternative route. The NSW Government provided $15 million for the project to improve safety and meet the demands of the increasing amount of freight being carried on the Newell Highway. The project was completed on time and on budget in July 2018.

Project information

Background

The West Wyalong heavy vehicle alternative route was initially set up by Bland Shire Council as a local heavy vehicle bypass. In 2010 the route became a State Road with the aim to help remove heavy vehicles from the main street (Newell Highway) of West Wyalong.

Work on the $15 million upgrade to improve safety and efficiency started in 2015 and was completed in 2018.

The upgrade allowed for the use of Higher Productivity Vehicles, which can be longer and carry heavier loads, resulting in more efficient journeys.

Benefits

The key benefits of the upgrade to the community:

  • reduced conflict between local traffic and heavy vehicles
  • improved safety at intersections for turning vehicles
  • improved freight capacity
  • no through traffic on Green Street and Old Hospital Road.

Why did we do the work?

The amount of freight on the Melbourne to Brisbane corridor (Newell Highway) will continue to increase and the West Wyalong heavy vehicle alternative route needed to be upgraded to meet that demand.

The heavy vehicle alternative route has a mix of through traffic, heavy vehicles and local traffic and includes five railway level crossings and 15 intersections. Residential areas also surround the road.

The work improved road safety by widening the road, strengthening the road surface, improving the drainage and improving the layout of intersections. The upgrade also allowed for the use of Higher Productivity Vehicles.

What work did we do?

In early 2015 Transport for NSW carried out drainage improvements over an 800-metre length on Compton Road and constructed a new access into the Grain Corp Silo. Road strengthening, widening and improving turning movements at the Central Road intersection were carried out in late 2015.

Work on Compton Road, from near Fred Kalms Road to just before the Newell Highway intersection (850-metre length), was completed in early 2016 and involved road strengthening, providing wider lanes and shoulders, improving drainage and improving turning movements at Fred Kalms Road intersection.

Work on Showground Road was completed in mid-2016 and involved road strengthening, widening and drainage work as well as improvements to a number of intersections for turning vehicles. This included the permanent closure of some intersections.

Widening a large culvert at the northern end of Compton road was completed in early 2017. This work included intersection improvement, road widening and road strengthening.

Work on the railway crossing at Showground Road and Compton Road and approaches was completed in mid-2017. This work involved flattening the approaches of the railway crossing, widening the railway crossing, installing new street lighting and reconstructing the road surface to provide a smoother, safer road.

The final stage included further upgrades to the railway crossings and approaches.

Changes to intersections

To reduce the potential for accidents and significantly improve road safety, the work on Showground Road included permanently closing four local intersections including two railway level crossings. The remaining intersections have been upgraded.

Work included:

  • permanently closing Boltes Lane north access to Showground Road and removal of the un-signalised railway crossing. Access to Showground Road is via Church Street
  • permanently closing Airport Road access to Showground Road. Access to Showground Road is via Boltes Lane South
  • permanently closing Green Street access to Showground Road and construction of a cul-de-sac. Access to Showground Road is via Bellarwi Road
  • permanently closing Old Hospital Road access to Showground Road, constructing a cul-de-sac and closing the railway crossing to vehicles. Access to Showground Road is via Railway Road or Church Street
  • upgrading Boltes Lane, Church Street and Bellarwai Road intersections for right turning vehicles from Showground Road.

View or download the project map (PDF, 1.41Mb).

Contact us

For further information about this project, please contact:

Email: southprojects@transport.nsw.gov.au