Northern bypass nearly complete

Mayor Graeme Miller said the remaining upgrades to complete the $4.3 million project should be complete by the middle of the year.

The mayor said the bypass was great news for road train and B Double drivers from that side of town needing to connect to the Newell Highway as they no longer had to travel via the South Condobolin Road.

“It’s 80km shorter (each way) for drivers coming from the north and north west through to the Newell Highway,” Mayor Miller said.

“We hope it will also benefit people accessing the saleyards, the Central West Livestock Exchange.”

The bypass turns off Bogan Gate Road – that new section of road was sealed at the end of last year – and connects to Lima Road. 

The route continues along Limestone Road, Dawes Road, Calarie-Daroobalgie Road and connects to the Newell Highway north of Forbes, near the Central West Livestock Exchange.

About two thirds of the route is now sealed.

Traffic is now using the new road alignment at Daroobalgie, changing traffic conditions, Council said in a Facebook post on the weekend.

The intersection with Hooper’s road is now a T-intersection and while works continue, a temporary access route is in use for the Daroobalgie Waste Depot. 

Traffic control and speed restrictions have been put in place for the safety of the workers and the wider public, Council said. 

They are asking people to drive to the conditions and take care while travelling in the work site.

Mayor Miller said the final stages of the work had been set back by last year’s wet weather and the subsequent need to repair flood damage on many of the shire’s roads. 

The Northern Heavy Vehicle Bypass project received $2.1 million in funding from the Federal Government Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Scheme and $1.1 million from the State Government Fixing Country Roads initiative. 

Forbes Shire Council put $1.1 million into the project.