Early work has started to pave the way for the removal of a railway level crossing along the Inland Rail project corridor near Parkes.
The level crossing on the Newell Highway at Tichborne will be removed and replaced using grade separation - separating the rail from the road - with a road overpass.
The Albanese Labor Government is investing $280 million and the Minns Labor Government is contributing $70 million in the project, which will improve road and rail safety while allowing freight to be delivered faster and more reliably.
The Australian Government contribution is part of a broader $450 million commitment to grade-separating Inland Rail interfaces with roads across NSW.
The level crossing on the Olympic Highway at Harris Gates near Illabo will also be removed as part of this work.
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Geotechnical investigations, biodiversity studies and Aboriginal cultural heritage surveys of the Tichborne site and surrounds began on 12 February.
Work is due to be carried out on weekdays from 7am to 6pm until the end of March, weather permitting, with intermittent changed traffic conditions in place on the Newell Highway including stop/slow traffic movements.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said the outcomes of these studies will help determine the location, geometry and composition of the new bridge.
The geotechnical investigations at Tichborne will be followed by similar work at the Harris Gates intersection in coming months.
“We are working in partnership with the NSW Government to remove rail level crossings by building bridges to separate road and rail along the Inland Rail route in the state," said Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King.
“Australia’s investment in Inland Rail is critical to help us move more freight as our population grows.
“Inland Rail can reduce our transport emissions and make our roads safer, and we are prioritising delivery of the sections between Beveridge and Parkes in line with our independent review of the project, which was handed down in mid-2023.”
NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said the investment will improve safety at two key intersections on the Inland Rail route.
“Crashes at level crossings have the potential to cause major trauma and even fatalities, which have devastating impacts on families and local communities," she said.
“By grade separating road and rail we will eliminate the potential of incidents at these two locations while paving the way for faster freight movements and business benefits for regional NSW.”
