Valuable flood data collected during last year's seven-week closure of the Newell Highway will help guide a flood-mitigation program, alongside feedback from upcoming community consultation, aimed at reducing the length of future closures.
The Australian and New South Wales governments have committed to flood mitigation works on the highway, which runs through the flood plain between West Wyalong and Forbes.
Proposed treatments include installing box culverts (small bridges) to allow water to pass freely under the highway, raising the road level and laying a more robust pavement that would remain open to traffic for longer during flood events.
Initial repairs to flood damage from late 2022 on the Newell Highway between West Wyalong and Forbes are now complete.
Work delivering overtaking lanes to improve safety on this section of the highway is continuing.
Transport for NSW will hold both face-to-face and online consultation sessions next month.
