New grant clears way for new rail bridge, east Orange road upgrades

7 December 2017

A new $5 million grant from the NSW Government has paved the way for a new rail overpass bridge to be built in South Orange, alongside a series of new road connections from Huntley Road through to the former Orange saleyards site.

Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW Rick Colless unveiled plans Monday to give $5.36 million to Orange City Council towards the latest stage of the Southern Feeder Road project.

Further information shows the project includes :

• A new 720 metre section of road connecting the already completed section of the Southern Feeder road from Huntley Rd to Blowes Rd. On the eastern side of the tracks, the new road will include an arched drainage structure over East Orange Creek.
• A new bridge over the main western rail line. As well as the 23 metre long span over the rail line, (around 8 metres above the ground), the raised approach roads in Blowes Rd and Huntley Rd will be about 400 metres long.
• A 420 metre long extension of Edward Street through the former saleyards site, to meet the new road.
• Closing off Elsham Avenue to create a cul-de-sac on the northern side of the new southern feeder road. There will be access from Elsham from the southern/Leewood Industrial Estate side of the road. While there would be no car access onto the Southern Feeder from Elsham Ave on the northern side, there would be access for pedestrians and cyclists.

The budget for the (just under $17 million) project is :

• $5.36 million : NSW Government Fixing Country Road program
• $5.752 million : Industry funding through Section 94 contributions to Orange City Council
• $5.41 million : Other NSW funding ($3.41 million Fixing Country Road program + $2 million Safety and Congestion program)
• $400K : Orange City Council

Orange City Council has already taken design of the project to an advanced stage. It’s expected the project will go out to tender early in the new year, and that construction will begin in the second half of next year.

The project will improve access to and from Orange from the Mitchell Highway as well lessening traffic on the existing level crossing into the Leewood industrial estate.

The new road has been designed to carry 19 metre long B-Doubles.

The project is expected to generate 82 jobs during construction.