Trundle has hosted celebrations of completion of $15.7 million worth of works to upgrade The Bogan Way.
The works have transformed more than 25 kilometres of this vital regional freight route, improving safety and access across the Parkes Shire.
This included three projects funded by more than $4.5 million from the Australian Government under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program, and more than $9 million from the New South Wales Government over the past four years.
The Bogan Way is a regional road link that provides a vital north-south road train route through the Narromine, Parkes and Forbes shires in central west NSW.
It supports transport operators connecting producers to grain silos and the Central West Livestock Exchange, and is a vital haulage and residential access route.
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The completed works enable higher productivity vehicles, including AB Triples, to safely use the route, thanks to upgrades that addressed pavement rehabilitation, widening, realignment, culvert replacement, and the installation of wire rope barriers.
NSW Minister for Roads & Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said improving key freight routes like The Bogan Way would help local industry, reduce travel times and making journeys safer for everyone.
“These upgrades are a great example of what can be achieved when all levels of government work together to deliver for regional NSW," Ms Aitchison said.
Parkes Mayor Neil Westcott said the funding enabled the council to deliver works that would otherwise have taken years to complete.
“Grant funding was instrumental in delivering these significant upgrades to such a vital freight link that services not just our shire, but the wider region and the state," he said.
The seven projects along The Bogan Way included:
Realigning and widening the intersection at The Bogan Way and McGrane Way intersection north of Tullamore, with major pavement reconstruction, widening of two culverts, and installation of a traffic island and lighting;
Southern Tullamore - Widening 14.1 km of Road Pavement, correcting poor pavement conditions through rehabilitation and the installation of compliant road batter slopes, and installed five culverts;
Widening a narrow road formation and completing pavement correction at the entrance to Trundle;
Widening The Bogan Way from the railway crossing to Botfield Road;
Correcting poor pavement conditions, completing shaping and drainage works at Bogan Gate;
Upgrading intersections for both Nelungaloo Road and Monumea Gap Road intersection to improve safety;
Upgrading 3km of road south of Parkes, north of Crooked Creek Bridge, widening the road pavement and addressing the stormwater issues.
Parkes Shire Council Director of Operations Logan Hignett said the project had not only delivered a safer and more productive freight route, it wasa significant step forward in how the council approaches road construction across the shire.
“By introducing machine guidance technology, we upskilled our teams and delivered more precise outcomes, improving efficiency and reducing material wastage," Mr Hignett said.
“The partnership between the council and private contractors throughout the seven upgrades was a standout, working collaboratively allowed us to deliver works more efficiently.
“Just as importantly, community feedback played a key role in shaping the design at each location, particularly around drainage and flood resilience.
“Local knowledge was critical to getting those solutions right, which was an important lesson when delivering capital works of this magnitude.”
