Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) will start road safety improvement work on the New England Highway and Racecourse Lane intersection at Whittingham from next Monday.
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The NSW Government provided $3.3 million to upgrade this intersection to improve safety for motorists and reduce the risk of crashes in the area.
“In the five years to September 2017, there were three crashes within a 50 metre radius of this intersection,” Upper Hunter MP Michael Johnsen said.
“The New England Highway is a major road artery linking the Hunter region with the Queensland border. This is a great opportunity to improve safety for motorists by providing a wider central median between lanes and a new overtaking lane.”
Work would include building a northbound overtaking lane on the New England Highway just south of Racecourse Lane. A U-turn bay will also be installed on the northern side of Range Road to provide access to the highway for residents living in nearby properties.
“To also reduce the risk of severe crashes, 700 metres of wire rope safety barriers will be installed next to the southbound lanes,.” he said.
Work will start on Monday, July 23 and is expected to be completed in October this year, weather permitting. Work will be carried out between 7am and 6pm on weekdays.
For the safety of motorists and workers, traffic control and a reduced speed limit of 40 km/h will be in place.