Shadow Minister for Regional Transport and Roads and Nationals Member for Upper Hunter, Dave Layzell, has welcomed the NSW Government's announcement that it will build an overtaking lane on the Golden Highway near Merriwa.
The upgrade is planned for a location about 12 kilometres west of the Upper Hunter township.
The vital road connection between the Hunter Valley and Dubbo is preparing for a massive increase in Over-Size and Over-Mass (OSOM) heavy vehicles delivering components to the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).
"It is critical that the Minns Government promptly delivers these Golden Highway improvements given the OSOM loads this stretch of road will carry as the state government develops the Central-West Orana REZ," Mr Layzell said.
"The former Nationals Government oversaw many improvements to the highway but more are needed to mitigate the disruption the REZ components will create for our local communities with increased freight movements associated with the construction and operation of these renewable energy projects.
"The government's proposed overtaking lanes will help to reduce the impact on road users but hopefully this is the first of several upgrades."
The Minns Government has indicated REZ freight loads will include wind turbine blades of 85-100m in length and synchronous condensers which could be 6.2m wide.
"The sheer volume of these anticipated freight movements is already causing concern for communities like Merriwa," Mr Layzell added.
