Road safety in NSW has received a boost with a new round of funding announced under the Black Spot Program.
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Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Darren Chester and Federal Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton have announced funding of more than $3.2 million to fix nine black spots on roads in Western NSW.
Mr Chester said the projects were recommended by a panel of independent road safety experts and would be delivered during the course of 2016-17.
"The annual economic cost of road crashes is estimated at $27 billion per year. Governments of all levels have made significant progress over several decades in reducing fatalities, yet there is still work to be done," Mr Chester said.
"This investment is helping to make our local roads safer for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
"The Australian Government has committed $500 million to the Black Spot Program from 2014-15 to 2018-19, including an additional $200 million over two years from 2015-16 to improve road safety and infrastructure across the country."
Mr Coulton said communities across the federal electorate of Parkes would benefit from safer local road networks through the improvement of Black Spot locations recommended by the consultative panel.
"Residents will recognise the history and notoriety of each of these locations, including through their own near misses and seeing emergency services at the site first-hand," Mr Coulton said.
"The Black Spot Program allows anyone to make a submission for a safety upgrade to a road or intersection in their local area.
"According to the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, there were 1242 road deaths in Australia in the 12 months to February 2016. This is far too many and we must continue the campaign to make our roads safer.
"We are committed to reducing crashes on our roads. Accidents take a huge toll on families, our communities and the economy and I am delighted to see these upgrades approved.''
The approved projects in the Parkes electorate are:
o 8km section of Hill End Road from 2km west of Castlereagh Highway at Erudgere: $1,280,000 to mark road edge lines, remove clearzone hazards, install shoulder and provide wire rope barrier on roadside;
o Section of Webbs Siding Road west of Jones Circuit at Narromine: $610,000 to install new seal on unsealed surface with delineation treatments and guideposts with reflectors and upgrade clearzone and shoulder;
o 2km section of Baradine Road approximately 6.3km west of Coonabarabran: $525,065 to install wire rope barrier on roadside, improve sealed shoulder and install new curve and advisory speed signs and curve alignment markers;
o Intersection of Nymagee Street and Meryula Street at Narromine: $275,000 to install a single lane roundabout;
o 1km section of Beni Crossing Road near Dennykymine Road at Mendooran: $190,060 to improve the alignment and install new curve and advisory speed signs;
o Section of Warren Road approximately 6.3km east of Quambone Road at Tenandra: $149,400 to mark barrier line and edge lines, install shoulder, upgrade seal to high level non-skid surface, install new curve and advisory speed signs and remove clearzone hazards;
o Section of Purlewaugh Road approximately 15km east of Purlewaugh: $135,015 to install shoulder and remove clearzone hazards;
p Intersection of Frome Street and Anne Street at Moree: $63,620 to install a pedestrian refuge with kerb blisters; and intersection of Pilliga Road and Pilliga Tip Road at Pilliga: $11,000 to install curve alignment markers and move stop or give-way lines forward using painted markings.
For more information on the Australian Government's Black Spot Programme, or to nominate a black spot, visit http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/funding/blackspots/
