Two and a half years on, Narromine shire mayor Craig Davies has praised the safety upgrades along the Mitchell Highway, notorious for fatigue fatalities.
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The 14-kilometre stretch of road, west of Trangie, had claimed the lives of 40 people over the past 40 years, with seven fatalities in just the past eight years.
"We haven't had a serious accident out there since, which has just been absolutely wonderful," Cr Davies said.
Safety improvement work included the widening of the road, and the installation of 2.4 kilometres of a wire safety barrier placed in strategic locations to protect out of control cars running off the road and hitting high risk roadside objects, such as trees.
Audio tactile line marking was also installed along the edge lines of the road.
Cr Davies praised the state government and then Roads Minister Melinda Pavey for their support of the project, which he said was a long time coming.
"They've done an incredible job out there, they've really improved the situation out there and it's led to a much better ending for everyone," he said.
Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said due to the number of fatalities on this section of road, it was "apparent that something needed to be done".
"I am pleased to hear that the upgraded section of the highway is proving to be safer for our motorists, and the statistics are something that everyone should be proud of," he said.
Zaarkacha Marlan
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
