Registration of Interest begin for $100m Barton Highway Upgrade NSW

Registration of Interest for the design and construction of the first stage of the Barton Highway Upgrade in New South Wales have been released to market, with industry partners invited to submit their interests.

Stage 1 of the $100 million project will upgrade the Barton Highway between the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) border to Murrumbateman.

“The Barton Highway is a critical link connecting communities on the Southern Tablelands in NSW and ACT. This upgrade will significantly improve safety as well as journey reliability, ease congestion and boost freight productivity.

“The Barton Highway upgrade demonstrates our commitment to building for the future. We’re investing now so that the community can have confidence that they will have the infrastructure we need to support a growing economy,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said.

NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole is calling on the industry to present innovative solutions that will help maximise the length of the highway to be duplicated under this project.

“We are encouraging industry to be innovative to achieve the greatest distance of duplicated highway and deliver value for money while ensuring a focus on safety.

“We also want to make sure that there are opportunities for the local workforce from communities along the length of the duplication to participate, to provide employment during tough drought times, so we’ll be looking to partners that can provide that,” Mr Toole said.

Project map (source: Roads & Maritime Services)

In addition to upgrading the Barton Highway, this project will also increase the capacity of the highway between the ACT border and Murrumbateman.

“A duplicated highway will provide significant road safety benefits and more reliable journeys for the growing number of road users between Canberra and the Yass Valley, contributing to regional growth and increased freight efficiency along this strategic link.

“The registration of interest is the first stage of the contract procurement process for the work, with the request for tender currently planned for early 2020,” Senator for ACT Zed Seselja said.

In the coming months, the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) is going to be finalised and planning to continue for the duplication of the remaining sections of the highway - including intersection upgrades at Gooda Creek Road and Vallencia Drive.

“Upcoming work also include the delivery of $3.25 million investment in intelligent transport systems which will improve trip reliability and help better manage and reduce traffic incidents.

“Permanent variable message signs, with fog detection systems, real travel time capabilities and closed circuit television monitoring will be installed at the northern and southern approaches of the Barton Highway,” State Member for Goulburn Wendy Tukcerman said.

This project is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales Government with each investing $50 million over four years. The Australian Government has also committed an additional $100 million towards this project through the Roads of Strategic Importance initiative in the 2018-19 Budget.

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Source: Roads & Maritime Services (1, 2); Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development; Infrastructure Magazine; AOEL.com.au