Over $500 million has been allocated to road safety projects in New South Wales, under the Federal Government’s Road Safety Program.
The additional funding will support 230 new projects across both urban and regional roads. Both the Federal and New South Wales governments are providing significant contributions of $218.6 million, for a joint investment of $437.3 million.
The funding sees a total investment of $518.3 million by the Federal and New South Wales governments across 2023-2024 to 2025-2026, to deliver road safety treatments across the state’s road network.
This boost funding will ensure greater levels of safety at each of the project’s locations, reducing the risk of crashes that cause fatal or serious injuries.
Among the projects are pedestrian infrastructure upgrades including wombat crossings to busy areas near various primary schools, as well as:
- Roundabouts
- Traffic signal upgrades
- Channelised/dedicated right-turn bays
- High-friction surface
- Wire rope and flexible roadside crash barriers
- Rumble strips
- Sealed shoulders on high-speed rural roads
- Pedestrian fencing on kerbs and median strips
- Traffic calming
- Raised safety platforms
- Shared paths and footpaths
- Kerb extensions to improve sight lines and pedestrian refuges to allow two-stage crossings of roads
Roundabouts to be installed or upgraded include on Werombi Road in Grasmere, Barry Road in North Kellyville, Fitzwilliam Road in Toongabbie, Flower Street in Maroubra and Clovelly Road in Clovelly.
Among the intersection improvement projects are new traffic signals at Rutherford Avenue and New Illawarra Road in Lucas Heights, and at Old Princes Highway and Glencoe Street in Sutherland. Safety will also be improved at four intersections along Old Northern Road Corridor between Dural and Maroota.
In regional New South Wales, the program will support safety improvements along sections of the Barton, Great Western, Illawarra, Kamilaroi, Kings, New England, Oxley, Princes and Snowy Mountains Highways, as well as Big River, Burley Griffin, Goldfields, Kidman and Waterfall Ways.
Other projects include safety upgrades and intersection improvements on local roads, shared cycle and pedestrian paths, pedestrian safety upgrades in urban areas, and school zone safety upgrades across Greater Sydney and regional New South Wales.
The program will also upgrade 174 signalised intersections to enhance pedestrian safety. These upgrades will include improving pedestrian crossings, installing additional signals, and adjusting left and right-turn signal phasing to provide greater protection for pedestrians while crossing.
Federal Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Anthony Chisholm, said, “This almost half a billion dollars’ worth of new funding is all part of our collective commitment to significantly reduce the number of road deaths and serious injuries on our roads, and I thank the New South Wales Government for their collaboration on this.
“It’s critical that we continue to support safety projects in regional and metropolitan areas across the country as Australia’s road toll is far too high, with 2024 on track to be one of the deadliest years on our roads.
“The wider Road Safety Program forms part of the Federal Government’s ongoing commitment to work with state and territory governments to fund the priority road safety works they identify.
“These projects won’t just improve safety, they will also support thousands of construction jobs across the state and build on the 49 projects already announced for the Greater Sydney area in late May.”
New South Wales Minister for Roads, John Graham, said, “The rising number of fatalities on roads across Australia is extremely concerning and today we pledge more support for vital road safety projects at a local level where improvements make a big difference to reducing crashes, and reducing injuries and trauma.
“Whether it is fences to protect pedestrians, new traffic signals or improving an intersection with a roundabout, the Road Safety Program will deliver improvements to roads and highways that will deliver safety benefits for years to come.
“In the recent New South Wales and federal budgets, we confirmed our $2.8 billion partnership in road safety over four years, delivering on commitments in the 2026 Road Safety Action Plan.”
New South Wales Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, said, “Regional NSW is home to one-third of the NSW population, but accounts for nearly two thirds of road fatalities in the state.
“Reducing road trauma on country roads is a top priority for this Government. The $262 million investment in regional NSW infrastructure will help improve road safety, reduce road trauma, and make journeys safer for all who live in and travel through regional NSW.”
“Our goal is simple: everyone on our roads should return home safely to their loved ones. This investment is a crucial step toward making that a reality.”
