Rest Area Upgrades to Benefit Heavy Vehicle Drivers on the Newell Highway

Image Credit: Gabriel Santos

Media Release: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

Works to upgrade two rest areas on the Newell Highway south of Moree has begun, benefiting all road users, particularly heavy vehicle drivers travelling in the state’s north-west.

The Australia Government and NSW State Government have committed $12 million to extensively upgrade the northbound and southbound rest areas either side of the Newell Highway at Tycannah.

The Tycannah rest areas upgrade work is receiving $2.4 million in funding from the NSW Government, and $9.6 in funding through the Australian Government’s Heavy Vehicle Rest Area initiative under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program.

The existing rest areas at Tycannah service the major long-haul interstate freight route linking Melbourne and Brisbane but currently have no toilets and no turning lanes.

The upgrades will include a reconfiguration of the rest areas to better accommodate extra-long vehicles, and also deceleration lanes at the entry of the rest area to improve safety.