Following extensive lobbying after a significant near miss at the Williams Railway Crossing in 2013, Greater Hume Council will formally open the new Olympic Highway Intersection and Railway Crossing at Grubben Road, Henty at 10am on Tuesday 21 December 2021.
The $7.93 million project was jointly funded through the Federal Government's Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program, the NSW Government's Regional Communities Development Fund and a Greater Hume Council project funding commitment.
The project included several components including:
- Construction of a new railway crossing.
- Realignment of approximately one kilometre of the Olympic Highway.
- Construction of a new intersection between Grubben Road, Orange Flat Lane and the railway crossing.
- Construction of a new private property entrance.
- Closing of the existing Williams Rail Crossing, approximately one kilometre north of Henty.
"This vital project means that the new alignment allows safer and more efficient access for grain trucks, which will deliver major economic benefits to the region through reduced truck operating costs and haulage times and improved safety for all road users," said Cr Doug Meyer OAM.
"Additionally, there are major benefits to safety and amenity of our Henty community, with the reduction of trucks travelling through the township," Cr Meyer OAM said.
In conjunction with the rail crossing project, Council completed the reconstruction and widening of 1.8 kilometres of Grubben Road, from the new rail crossing to the boundary with Lockhart Shire, Transport for NSW and Australian Rail Track Corporation. This further enhances the safety of grain trucks traveling to the Grain Corp site in time for an anticipated bumper harvest season. This $800,000 project was funded through NSW Government's Restart NSW Fixing Country Roads program along with a Council contribution of $200,000.
The $543 million Fixing Country Roads program provides funding to regional NSW councils to repair, strengthen and improve strategic freight routes, creating a reliable and more efficient road freight network.
Regional NSW is forecast to produce up to 286 million tonnes of freight per year by 2036, projects like the Grubben Road upgrade make it safer and easier for trucks to transport produce across NSW and reach markets here and overseas.
