NSW Budget outlines infrastructure spend
The New South Wales State Government has allocated $5.4 billion in road building and maintenance of key road assets in the state's Budget.
Major road investments in the 2011-12 Budget include:
- $2.4 billion for new roads;
- $1.2 billion for maintenance for the State’s existing roads;
- $344 million in improvements to the traffic network; and
- $265 million for road safety.
Major improvement works include:
- More than $80 million this year on major upgrades to the Princes Highway including projects at Gerringong, South Nowra, Victoria Creek and Bega;
- $1 billion this year to upgrade the Pacific Highway, including completing the Ballina bypass and Glenugie upgrade and progressing bypasses of Buladelah, Kempsey and Woogoolga;
- $250 million to duplicate the Hume Highway including funding construction of the Holbrook, Woomargama and Tarcutta bypasses, which are key links in providing a four lane divided highway between Sydney and Melbourne;
- $570 million for continuing work on the $1.7 billion Hunter Expressway, a new 40 kilometre four lane freeway between Newcastle and the Hunter;
- $38 million to widen the Central Coast Highway to four lanes between Erina and Wamberal, improving accessibility between the F3 Sydney Newcastle freeway and beach suburbs on the Central Coast;
- $119 million towards upgrading the Great Western Highway across the Blue Mountains; and
- $25 million to complete widening the F5 between Brooks Road and Narellan Road improving access for south western Sydney motorists.
This year’s Budget also has funds allocated to complete a number of important projects including:
- $23 million to complete widening the Oxley Highway to four lanes from Wrights Road, Port Macquarie to the Pacific Highway. (Total project cost $115 million)
- $7 million to complete the upgrade of the northern approach to Alfords Point Bridge at Padstow Heights, including a new bridge over Henry Lawson Drive. (Total project cost $42 million)
- $15 million to complete widening of Camden Valley Way from Cobbitty Road to Narrellan Road, Harrington Park. (Total project cost $33 million)
- $6 million for the upgrade of Hoxton Park Road to four lanes between Banks Road and Cowpasture Road, HoxtonPark. (Total project cost $62 million)
- $7 million for road safety improvements on the Barton Highway at Gounyan. (Total project cost $22 million)