The Snowy Mountains Highway at Pine Valley is set to benefit from a $1.3 million series of upgrades to improve safety and reliability, jointly funded by the Federal and New South Wales Governments.
With $400,000 from the Federal Government’s Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program, and $900,000 from the New South Wales Government’s Network Efficiency Program, the safety works will involve widening multiple sections of the Highway to provide more space for light and heavy vehicles to co-exist.
This includes widening the left-turn lane eastbound at Kosciuszko Road and installing safety barriers as part of the jointly funded works.
As an access route for the Snowy 2.0, there has been a noticeable increase in traffic along this section of the Snowy Mountains Highway, including frequent heavy vehicle movements.
Work is already underway to widen and seal 1km of southbound shoulders, which is expected to take around six weeks.
Work on the intersection upgrade is due to commence and is expected to be completed by the end of May, weather permitting.
All works will be carried out weekdays between 7am and 6pm and Saturdays between 8am and 1pm.
Federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, and Federal Member for Eden-Monaro, Kristy McBain, said that the Snowy Mountains Highway is busier than ever, as more people flock to enjoy everything the region has to offer.
“That’s why I’ve worked hard to secure $400,000 in federal funding towards these important safety upgrades, which we’ll deliver in partnership with the New South Wales Government,” Ms McBain said.
“We know during our peak snow seasons the highway really is bumper to bumper – which is why widening multiple sections of the road will make it safer for motorists to pass turning vehicles.”
New South Wales Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education and Member for Monaro, Steve Whan, said that as the gateway to the Snowy Mountains Region, this highway is the key arterial route between Cooma and Jindabyne or Tumut, servicing high volumes of tourist and visitor traffic during winter, providing access to the Selwyn Snowy Resort from the southeast.
“These upgrades will go a long way to providing a much safer journey for all motorists and improving the travel experience for everyone in our beautiful region,” Mr Whan said.
New South Wales Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, said that the State and Federal Governments are working together and getting on with the job of improving road safety in regional communities.
“The investments we are making will reduce the likelihood of rear end crashes and reduce congestion on this busy highway,” Ms Aitchison said.
“I thank Ministers McBain and Whan for their ongoing advocacy and efforts on behalf of their communities, to secure vital road safety investments like this.”
Image credit: P.j.Hickox/shutterstock.com
