2 September 2021

Barton Highway duplication project 'virtually' open to traffic

| Sally Hopman
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Roadside sign on Barton Highway

If you can’t wait until the Barton Highway duplication is completed in mid-2023, take a virtual tour of the project thanks to the NSW Government’s new animated flyover video. Photo: File.

If you can’t wait to see what it will be like to drive on stage one of the Barton Highway upgrade, you need wait no more.

This week, the NSW Government has posted an animated 3D flyover of the completed stage one of the highway, showing how the long-awaited new stretch of road, linking Canberra and Yass, will look on completion.

The first stage shown in the animation (featured below) includes the two northbound lanes from south of the NSW-ACT border to the intersection of Rolfe Road.

Viewers can see roads and exits clearly marked, as well as new safety exits and U-turns for motorists and essential service vehicles.

The NSW Government said work is “progressing well” on the first stage of the upgrade, with construction of the new two-lane northbound carriageway from south of the NSW-ACT border to about 300 metres north of Kaveneys Road at Jeir.

This work is scheduled for completion in mid-2023, weather permitting.

The detailed design for the first stage has been completed following extensive community consultation. Key features include the new northbound lane carriageway from south of the NSW-ACT border to Anchow Hill Lane, with 3.5-metre wide lanes, a three-metre wide left shoulder, and a one-metre wide left shoulder to improve travel times.

The design also includes modification of the existing highway to provide a two-lane southbound carriageway from south of the NSW-ACT border to Kaveneys Road/Anchow Hill Lane to improve access, and a central median strip separating the two carriageways to help improve road safety and reduce crash rates.

Intersections will also be upgraded with median crossovers for large vehicle access at Church Lane, Spring Range Road, Nanima Road, Rolfe Road, Briarwood Lane, Kaveneys Road and Anchow Hill Lane to improve access and safety.

The design also includes modifying affected intersections and property access roads to ensure safe access to the highway as well as improved bus stops, with accessible shelters and safe parking areas at Spring Range Road, Nanima Road, Rolfe Road and Kaveneys Road.

Planned work during the next few months includes the installation of electronic speed limit signs, clearing of remaining vegetation, continuing earthworks for the new northbound carriageway, installing stormwater drainage pipes, continuing the upgrade of the Church Lane and Rolfe Road intersections, and upgrading the Victoria Street intersection.

The Federal Government and NSW Government have each invested $50 million for the first stage of this work.

READ ALSO Major works start on multi-million dollar Barton Highway duplication

In total, the two governments have committed $200 million to upgrade Barton Highway, with the work being delivered by the Barton Highway Upgrade Project Alliance, a partnership of Transport NSW, Seymour White and SMEC.

It is understood about 70 per cent of the highway upgrade workforce has been drawn from the local community, including tradespeople, businesses and suppliers.

The majority of upcoming work will take place between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm Monday to Friday, and between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays.

Residents will be advised if night work is required, and electronic message boards will also alert drivers if speed limits need to be changed for work and safety reasons.

Transport for NSW offers residents and other interested people regular updates on the progress of the Barton Highway duplication. To register your interest, call 1800 931 250 (toll-free) or email [email protected].

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The flying review is interesting in its potentially accurate queuing times for those trucks trying to cross the traffic flow… I think they are still waiting as I type 😂

A little surprised that slip lanes from side roads are not designed given my relatives death on the north coast where an elderly driver didn’t see him in second lane behind truck…

cannedbeeria11:10 pm 24 Sep 22

Sorry to hear of your relatives passing. I agree re the slip lanes. ACT Government have been removing them from major arterials here in Canberra for a while now. Neccessitating a complete stop and 90 degree turn when turning left into an arterial roadway. Very dangerous as motorists try to look right to see if the road is clear, look left to see where they are going and look right again to check as they move off. This is complicated (or maybe , made necessary) by a cycle crossing at the same intersection.
I have fears for traffic on the new Yass road doing a U turn in those central U turn bays as well. They have to stop, then accelerate hard as they will find themselves in the right hand lane! Maybe the whole length is planned to be limited to 80kph…

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