Work is now underway on a major upgrade of the Golden Highway at Merriwa, making one of regional NSW's key freight routes safer forlocals and freight operators.
The Minns Labor Government is investing $23.7 million to deliver a new westbound overtaking lane on the Golden Highway near Merriwa.
For more than a decade, the Liberal-National Government failed to deliver the safety improvements communities along the Golden Highway desperately needed, leaving residents of the Upper Hunter languishing.
This project gets on with delivering the improvements that should have happened years ago.
The Golden Highway is a critical east-west link connecting communities, industry and freight between Newcastle and Dubbo, playing a central role in supporting the Upper Hunter's economy.
Transport for NSW has been progressively upgrading the Golden Highway since 2016, investing $109 million as part of the NSW Government's Regional Freight Pinch Point and Safety Program with an additional $24 million contribution from the Australian Government's Heavy Vehicle Safey and Productivity Package.
The ongoing investment into the Golden Highway will ensure the corridor is able to support safer and more efficient journeys for all road users.
This $23.7 million commitment includes $12 million announced during the 2023 election campaign and a further $11.7 million allocated in the 2025-26 NSW Budget.
The investment builds on the more than $133 million jointly invested by the NSW and Australian Governments to improve the Golden Highway between Newcastle and Dubbo.
Site establishment will start from today (Tuesday, 19 May). Construction is expected to take around ten months to complete, weather permitting.
Quotes attributable to Acting Minister for Roads, John Graham:
"Communities along the Golden Highway spent years hearing the same promises from the former Government, while critical safety upgrades were left sitting on an ever-growing list of projects that never got off the ground. We're getting on with the job to make sure that changes.
"Investments like this are about more than a single overtaking lane or safety upgrade - they are part of a broader effort to strengthen and future-proof critical regional roads like the Golden Highway for decades to come.
"We said we would invest in safer, more reliable regional roads, and that's exactly what we're doing here in Merriwa."
Quotes attributable to Minister for the Hunter, Yas Catley:
"Hunter locals know better than anyone the significance of the Golden Highway for the region.
"From coal, grain, livestock, fertiliser and other goods, this stretch of road is part in parcel of the Hunter's booming economy. It connects towns like Merriwa, Denman and Dubbo to jobs, services, markets and most importantly, to each other.
"This new overtaking lane will help locals and freight operators move more safely and reliably across the region at a time when demand on this road continues to grow.
"The Minns Labor Government said we would invest into this road, and that is absolutely what we are doing."
Quotes attributable to Labor Spokesperson for the Upper Hunter, Emily Suvaal:
"Communities across the Upper Hunter have been calling for upgrades to the Golden Highway for years, and this project is finally delivering those long-overdue improvements.
"This upgrade will make daily journeys safer and less stressful for the thousands of motorists and heavy vehicle operators who rely on this route every day.
