Hundreds of road safety projects are rolling out across New South Wales, in a more than $400 million blitz designed to reduce road trauma and save lives.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Australian and NSW Governments were working tirelessly to ensure works start immediately and are completed by June to get people home sooner and safer.
"As someone who proudly lives, works and has raised a family in regional NSW, I know just how important safe, efficient road connections are to local communities," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
"That's why we are rolling out this funding to deliver lifesaving upgrades including shoulder sealing, rumble strips to alert drivers when they are moving out of their lane, median upgrades to prevent head-on collisions and barriers to prevent run-off-road crashes and protect against roadside hazards.
"This investment won't just save lives, it will also provide a shot in the arm to local economies as we come back from the COVID-19 recession, with these projects expected to support more than 2,500 direct and indirect jobs."
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said safety barriers, rumble strips and wide centrelines were among the measures being rolled out under the program designed to save lives.
"As part of this investment, 261 priority projects will be delivered across NSW - 150 of these on regional roads, building on our vision of a safer, stronger regional NSW," Mr Toole said.
"These projects will help prevent the loss of more than 538 lives and serious injuries on our roads over the project life - that's the difference between 538 people making it home safely to their families at the end of the day."
NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said by investing in safer roads, we are also investing in local jobs, the economy and our communities.
"NSW is a booming state and our urban environments are becoming busier, particularly around shopping centres, entertainment and sporting precincts, hospitals, education facilities and transport interchanges," Mr Constance said.
Both Governments have a shared goal of no deaths or serious injuries on our roads, because no one should have to hear the devastating news that a loved one has lost their life in a crash."
Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said nothing was more important than ensuring drivers get home safely to their loved ones after each and every road trip.
"Whether it's just a quick trip to the shops or a truckie's long-haul journey from a business hub to markets, we want to ensure drivers get home safely," Assistant Minister Buchholz said.
"That's why our Government takes road safety seriously, investing in critical projects like these to help prevent crashes, making a real difference to the day-to-day lives of Australians by providing safer, smoother journeys and greater peace of mind."
The Australian Government's funding for the Road Safety Program is subject to 'use it or lose it' provisions and will deliver life-saving treatments on regional roads and to protect vulnerable road users across NSW, while also supporting local jobs and providing a welcome boost to local economies.
The 'use it or lose it' provisions require States and Territories to use their notionally allocated funds within a timeframe, or the funds can be reallocated to projects in other jurisdictions.
In total, the Australian Government has committed up to $300 million and the NSW Government a further $108.2 million to fund the state-wide upgrades under tranche one.
