Real time traffic information will soon be available for motorists using local roads across 22 regional Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said the NSW Government is expanding the Live Traffic NSW website and app to provide more reliable information to drivers, especially during emergencies like bushfires or floods.
"We have created a platform which allows councils to share real time live traffic information from their local roads into a central hub, which will give more information to motorists when they are travelling on the state's network of regional highways," Mr Farraway said.
"We've taken on feedback from communities and recommendations from the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements Report to develop 'OneRoad' a backend portal for councils to feed their data into Live Traffic NSW so road impacts across local and state roads are all in the one place.
"The initial 22 LGAs have been chosen in consultation with the NSW Police, RFS and SES with the view to have all 128 LGAs across the state on board by 2024.
"LGAs will continue to come onboard in stages, with the priority given to the regional councils who have been impacted most by bushfires and floods.
"In the event of road closures through floods or fires, they will no longer have to piece together information from different sources to work out what roads are open and safe to use.
"By bringing all of the state's traffic information into one central hub we will improve the experience of road users, helping to keep drivers moving and our communities safe."
This year during natural disasters the Live Traffic NSW website and mobile app traffic spiked up to 33 times the usual daily volume, with up to 660,000 sessions in one day, demonstrating the demand for real-time traffic information in a crisis.
Lismore City Council Mayor Steve Krieg said the ability for councils to share info via this tool is a fantastic win, particularly for areas impacted by extreme weather events.
"Having this one-stop digital shop for disruption across the road network is an invaluable tool for any community, especially one looking for a clear road out during a natural disaster," Mr Krieg said.
"My community knows how crucial coordination is across government so the ability for local road impacts to now be fed into Live Traffic NSW and navigational systems by our Council is a big step in the right direction, ensuring community members have access to the latest information at their fingertips."
In the state's Far West, Central Darling Shire residents and tourists rely heavily on up-to-date roads information because most of the shire roads are unsealed and wet weather often forces road closures.
Central Darling Shire Council General Manager Greg Hill said this exciting project would provide significant benefits for residents and visitors to the area.
"OneRoad will greatly assist local people as they travel around their community and make it easier for tourists planning to drive within the shire," Mr Hill said.
"We are thankful to the NSW Government for choosing Central Darling Shire as one of the first councils to come on board with this technology and helping ensure our communities are connected and well informed across the road network."
The new information from 22 LGAs will be available on Live Traffic NSW and third-party apps from October.
