Frustrated motorists who have been driven mad by the Newell Highway’s speed limits can breathe a sigh of relief as 110km/h signs will begin reappearing.
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NSW Minister for Roads Duncan Gay, Dubbo MP Troy Grant and Minister for Western NSW Kevin Humphries yesterday announced that the majority of the Newell Highway would be returned to a 110km/h speed limit from July 31.
The announcement came nearly two years after the highway’s speed limit was reduced in December 2009, with Mr Gay saying the state government would reinstate 94 per cent of speed limits.
“We are not putting all the areas back because there are some that are not up to the standard to go back to 110km/h,” Mr Gay said.
The reinstatement of the speed limits along the highway will cost $400,000, with more than 800km of the 1060km Newell Highway currently with a 100km/h speed limit .
Mr Grant said he received two or three phone calls a day about the speed limits on the Newell Highway, which highlighted how strongly people felt about the issue.
“We are no longer going to have drivers who are frustrated by being backed up against each other, taking risks and causing more potential danger on the road,” he said.
More overtaking lanes for the highway was listed as a further improvement the government was to implement at a future stage.
“There are a large number of overtaking lanes already but frankly we need more,” Mr Gay said.
“In the areas where we are restoring the speed limit to 110km/h there are already overtaking lanes.”
The road that links Victoria and Queensland will also receive major upgrades where it intersects Tallimba Road and the Sturt, Castlereagh and Oxley highways.
About 30 intersections have been upgraded and work is being carried out to ensure there is a six-metre clear zone on each side of straight lengths of the highway and a 10-metre clear zone on the outside of bends. Where this is not possible, wire rope barriers are being installed.
The 100km/h speed limit will remain between Tooraweenah and Coonabarabran, from Coonabarabran to north of the intersection with the Oxley Highway, sections between Jerilderie and Finley, sections between Finley and Tocumwal and from Boggabilla to the Queensland border.
The lengths between Tooraweenah and Coonabarabran, and Coonabarabran to north of the Oxley Highway intersection were 100km/h before the speed reduction in December 2009.