Building Better Roads

16 August 2019

This map lets you compare road projects planned for the coming road-building season in Orange with past years, and find out where the next round of projects are planned.

Click on the 'Full Screen' menu (top right) and then click on each line on the map to see each project;s location and timing.

Find out which Orange roads and footpaths are on Council’s hit list this year and gain insight into how those decisions are made at a public workshop next week.

Orange Mayor Reg Kidd encouraged everyone to come along to hear and see for themselves how Council staff prioritise work.

“Over the last three years, Council had focused on roads, then footpaths with its budget and you will be able to see on Tuesday exactly what we did with that funding and the difference made,” Cr Kidd said.

Cargo Road has been recently upgraded.

“Given how dry it’s been, it’s hard to cast your mind back to 2016 where we had record rainfall three out of four months.

“That rainfall played havoc with our road network and it was all people were talking about, Council responded by allocating record funding.
“We upgraded dozens of kilometres of roads including major upgrades likes the ones completed in William Street, Leeds Parade, Cargo Road, Forest Road and Kite Street.

“We added several kilometres to our footpath network and we’ve begun replacing asphalt footpaths around the CBD with concrete paths.”

Orange City Council’s Infrastructure Policy Committee Chair and Deputy Mayor Sam Romano said Council staff prioritised work based on a range of factors.

“Council has an asset management system whereby staff physically check the state of a road or footpath, grade it, record it and monitor it,” Cr Romano said.

‘When it comes to scheduling upgrades, the condition of the asset is taken into account, but also how often that road or footpath is used, it’s location, what type of public infrastructure is nearby as well as the community expectation and community requests.

“Staff also need to take into account the future use of an area. For example is there a major road planned in the near future, or a major development where construction could damage the road or footpath.

“We’d like to be as transparent with our systems as possible, which is why we’re inviting everyone to come to the Council Chambers on Tuesday night and learn about how those decisions are made.

“We will also be detailing what is on the list for upgrades this financial year, and what we plan on upgrading over the next four years.”

The public workshop focused on road and footpath upgrades is on Tuesday, August 13 from 6pm.

The construction site off the end of Huntley Road in south Orange is a hive of activity with work under way to build the next stage of the Southern Feeder road.

Road ramps are being built on both sides of the railway line, ahead of work to build a new rail overpass bridge.

Here’s a quick video update.

June 7, 2019

There’s been good progress on the first stages of a $1.3 million upgrade of Burrendong Way, with access to the road from the Burrendong/bypass roundabout now open again.

Work began in early May on the project to re-build a 600 metre long section of Burrendong Way, south from the northern bypass roundabout to Sunrise Way.

The project is fully funded by Orange City Council.

The project includes adding around 675 metres of stormwater drains alongside the road. Having the northern section of the road closed for the last few weeks has let contractors make good progress on the new drainage system which involves installing underground pipes of between 375 to 600 mm diameter.

PROGRESS : Council contractors are making good progress on an upgrade of Burrendong Way south of the bypass. The traffic barriers blocking southbound traffic have now been removed.

Southbound traffic is now able to enter Burrendong Way from the bypass. While roadworks continue drivers can expect delays with only one lane of traffic during the day, returning to two lanes open at night.

The road building project will also include :

• removing the current road surface
• replacing the underlying pavement down to depth of between 150 and 500 mm
• re-surfacing the road with hot-mix bitumen
• kerb & gutter on the eastern side of the road.

As part of the project, a footpath will be built on the eastern side of the road with connections to walking paths in the nearby wetlands.

The work is expected to continue until September, weather permitting.

The project is part of a long-term plan to upgrade Burrendong Way. Sections of the road north of the roundabout have already been completed.

May 23, 2019

Orange mayor Cr Reg Kidd has welcomed the NSW Government announcement to fund $2.3 million towards a $4.7 million new roundabout at the corner of the northern bypass and William Maker Drive.

It will be one of Orange’s biggest roundabouts, on the scale of the by-pass/Molong Road roundabout, with two lanes of traffic in and out.

The project will also include a re-alignment of the northern end of Hill St to join the southern leg of the roundabout.

It’s expected traffic flow improvements will include a significant reduction in current waiting times for Hill St traffic entering the bypass.

The roundabout project is expected to go to tender in the coming months with work to be completed before the end of the 2020 calendar year.

PROJECT : The new roundabout includes plans to re-align the northern end of Hill St, removing long delays for traffic entering the bypass. (Click to see detailed plan)

During construction, steps will be taken to minimise the impact for traffic on the bypass and in William Maker Drive. For ‘most’ of the project’s timeline, the new roundabout will be built in an area on the southern side of the bypass, allowing traffic in William Maker Drive and the bypass to continue uninterrupted.

Because the re-alignment of Hill St, the project also includes an upgrade to the bluestone gates at the entrance to the Botanic Gardens car park.

PROJECT FUNDING :

• Total project ~ $4.7 million
• NSW Govt funding ~ $2.359 million
• Remainder ~ OCC funding and industry contributions

Announcing the funding, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Premier Steph Cooke said the ‘Resources for Regions’ program was established by the NSW Government to deliver improved local infrastructure to mining-related communities.

Mrs Cooke said the funding would go a long way improving critical infrastructure projects in the region.

Orange mayor Cr Reg Kidd welcomed the announcement.

FUNDING : Pictured on the site of the new roundabout are Deputy Mayor Cr Sam Romano, Member for Orange Phil Donato, Orange Mayor Reg Kidd and Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Premier, Steph Cooke.

“The new roundabout has been on Orange City Council’s project list for some time and I’m delighted the NSW Government is coming to the party to let this crucial piece of infrastructure be built,” Cr Reg Kidd said.

“The bypass road is growing in popularity both for traffic moving through the region and for commuters driving from one side of Orange to the other. The new roundabout is a major investment in boosting the efficiency of this road.”

June 5, 2019

Orange City Council is working on the final few steps before the completion of the city’s newest roundabout at the corner of Woodward St and Wentworth Lane.

From this Thursday, there’ll be a number of changes for drivers when Wentworth Lane will again be open for traffic.

From this Thursday (6 June), weather dependent, the roundabout should be functioning normally for traffic, however it will not be complete.

PROGRESS : The final steps in building Orange’s newest roundabout are about to begin.

The remaining parts of the project include:

• Pedestrian refuges or median islands
• Garden bed
• Footpaths
• Spray grass
• Line marking
• Kerb and gutter sections
• Signage

It’s expected there will be 2 weeks’ worth of this finishing work where the roundabout will be under traffic control so delays will be experienced. Hot mix asphalting is due to happen Wednesday and Thursday.

Traffic speeds through the roundabout will be kept at 40km/hr during this work.

The power pole in the middle of the roundabout will also be moved, starting on 18 June.

The project, worth about $840,000 was partly funded by the NSW Government through the NSW Safer Roads program with $695,000 with the remaining funding from Orange City Council.

May 14, 2019

Work is under way on Orange’s City Council’s upgrade of a section of Burrendong Way.

A council contractor is re-building a 600 metre long section of Burrendong Way, south from the northern bypass roundabout to Sunrise Way.

The work began this week and is expected to continue until September, weather permitting.

The road building project will include :

• removing the current road surface
• replacing the underlying pavement down to depth of between 150 and 300 mm
• re-surfacing the road with hot-mix bitumen
• kerb & gutter on the eastern side of the road.

As part of the project, a footpath will be built on the eastern side of the road with connections to walking paths in the nearby wetlands.

The project is part of a long-term plan to upgrade Burrendong Way. Sections of the road north of the roundabout have already been completed.

Traffic control measures will be in place, and at least one lane of the road will be open at all times, however drivers are being urged to use alternative routes to avoid possible delays.

For the next three weeks drivers on the bypass won’t be able to turn south towards Orange, while the first stage of the project gets underway.

February 14, 2019

Three Orange intersections with a record of road accidents will be upgraded with $1.4 million funding, announced today.

Deputy premier John Barilaro announced $8.5 million in funding to improve the safety of central west roads.

The RMS will spend $4.9 million upgraded safety and wire barriers on the Mitchell Highway and other Orange district roads.

Cabonne Council will spend $2.7 million to work on roads in the Cabonne local government area.

FUNDING : Deputy premier John Barilaro visits the region to announce $8.5 million in new road safety funding.

Orange City Council plans to use its share of the funding to build :

• a new roundabout at the corner of Hill St and Matthews Ave.
• a new roundabout at the corner of McLachlan and March Streets, and
• new pedestrian platforms at the corner of Lords Place and Franklin Road

At each of the intersections, accident records show four people have been injured over the last five years.

BURRENDONG WAY: A clip from earlier work done on Burrendong Way using a bulldozer.