“Key areas of upgrade” on the highway will include its intersection with the Mitchell Highway at Dubbo and the construction of a new bridge in the city, it says.

The list of future works also includes the building of bypasses at Boggabilla, Parkes and Coonabarabran, laying of heavy duty pavement from Narrabri to Moree, widening of roads from Boggabilla to Goondiwindi and Coonabarabran to Narrabri, and construction of more overtaking lanes.

RDA Orana chairman John Walkom said the highway was currently affected by “localised congestion and flooding, deteriorating pavement and a lack of overtaking lanes”.

“These factors constrain freight productivity by increasing travel times and reducing reliability,” he said.

RDA Orana says the NSW government is developing business cases for “some elements of the initiative”.