Orange Mayor Tony Mileto has welcomed the NSW Government's announcement of grants for two major road safety projects in Orange.
SAFETY: Orange Mayor Tony Mileto welcomes state government funding to upgrade a CBD pedestrian crossing in Kite Street
In short: Multi-million grants announced to tackle road safety
Whiley Road near Spring Hill and a CBD crossing in Kite Street will be upgraded.
What's next: Work will start on the crossing in the new year.
The two projects come under Round 2 of the government's 'Towards Zero Safer Roads' program. These projects are:
- Installation of raised pedestrian wombat crossing on Kite Street between Anson Street and Lords Place – $197,000
- Safety improvements including shoulder widening and improvements on Whiley Road, between Spring Hill and Millthorpe Road -$3,300,000.
"Orange City Council is pleased to be working in partnership with the NSW Government to deliver the extra safety that comes with roads projects like these," Cr Tony Mileto said.
"This 2 km section of Whiley Road is a key transport link between Blayney and Orange, particularly for travellers heading towards the Orange Regional Airport, and for heavy transport from Bathurst heading to the Cadia mine. It's crucial that roads like this are as safe as we can make them."
"As we widen the road from 6 to 9 metres, we'll also renew the underlying pavement of the road as well as deliver a new road surface."
"The plan to upgrade the crossing in Kite Street is also very important when it comes to improving pedestrian safety.
"That crossing, half-way along the block between Anson St and Lords Place, is a key entrance for shoppers walking into Orange's CBD from the south. There's been two accidents at that crossing over the last five years, so this work will be important for the community."
"Council has built these raised 'wombat' crossings in other parts of town. They make an important contribution in places like schools where there are high numbers of pedestrians."
"You'd expect drivers to slow down when they see a regular crossing painted on the roadway, but this raised crossing is an extra step in busy streets to make sure drivers slow down where shoppers are crossing the road."
Work on the Kite Street crossing is expected to start in the first quarter of next year, while design work will begin immediately on the $3.3 million Whiley Road project.
The NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, said it was important to allocate grant funding for safety projects in regional areas.
"Even though regional NSW only makes up a third of the NSW population, sadly two thirds of deaths on our roads happen on country roads," Jenny Aitchison said. "The Minns Labor Government has provided more than half of funding for these council projects to regional councils."
"I am pleased to say 23 regional council-nominated projects have secured funding under this round of funding which will result in much needed infrastructure for regional NSW.
"This investment will go a long way to ensure everyone gets home safely every time to their loved ones."
