Urban congestion, regional councils and regional road safety targeted
A $1 billion investment in ‘shovel-ready’ infrastructure projects and road safety upgrades has been pledged to New South Wales in ongoing efforts to stimulate the state’s Covid-19 pandemic-impacted economy.
The funding is contributed by the federal ($451 million) and state governments ($569 million) and will be allocated to three key priorities:
• $240 million to fix 11 congestion hotspots around Sydney
• $382 million to help local councils upgrade roads across regional NSW
• $398 million for road safety projects in regional areas
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack says his government hs worked closely with state, territory and local governments to identify projects to help money flow into jobs and businesses as soon as possible.
“This funding will help turbocharge the NSW Government’s Fixing Local Roads program, jointly funding $382 million of projects on a 50:50 basis on the local roads that communities use every day,” McCormack says.
McCormack recently unveiled a Freight Industry Reference Panel
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole says the first round of jointly funded projects would deliver $250 million of the $382 million allocation towards more than 258 projects across 83 local government areas, with applications for round two later this year.
“This is money for small projects that make a big difference in people’s everyday lives in regional NSW,” Toole says.
Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge says the funding injection would also deliver urban projects.
“We’re investing $240 million to jointly fund on a 50:50 basis a Pinch Point Program that will bust congestion for freight and bus services across Sydney’s metropolitan road network,” Tudge says.
“It’s these smaller scale, local projects that really help to deliver those massive time savings for drivers and make our road network more efficient.”