A $1.9 million upgrade to the southern heavy vehicle route should be complete by November, in time for road trains to deliver this year’s grain harvest. 

Works on the Wirrinya Road / Red Bend Road intersection are well underway.

Council’s director of engineering and technical services Ray Graham said in a report to council’s October meeting that this was a major component of the heavy vehicle route.

“It will involve widening the approaches on the Red Bend Road to allow the sweep paths of a road train to pass through safely,” he said.

A slip lane will be added to the Forbes-bound direction of Wirrinya Road and a turning land from Wirrinya Road into Red Bend Road. 

The Newell Highway intersection with Wirrinya Road is also being upgraded.

“Works are continuing on shoulder works of the Newell Highway,” Mr Graham said in his report.

“The base layer for the green field section has been placed and compacted.”

$1.5m in funding for the project came through the Transport NSW Fixing Country Roads program. 

If the weather cooperates, it is scheduled to be completed by November ready for harvest.