Work starts on highway upgrade between Moree, Boggabilla

Road improvement work has started on the Newell Highway between Moree and Boggabilla.

The state government has invested $6.35 million for the work at Tackinbri, about 76 kilometres north of Moree, on a key regional route for locals, tourists and transport operators.

Transport for NSW acting executive director of partnerships and integration west Holly Davies said early work to upgrade culverts started on September 8, with work on the main safety upgrades to get under way later in the year.

“A key focus of the safety upgrades will be to reduce the risk of head-on crashes along this 1.6-kilometre stretch of the Newell Highway,” Ms Davies said.

“We live in a large state which means we sometimes have to travel long distances on the road and fatigue can become a factor.

“One of the most important features of the safety work at Tackinbri will be the installation of a wide centre line that will put greater distance between oncoming lanes of traffic to help avoid head-on crashes that can be the tragic result of momentary lapses of concentration.

“The work will also include extensive road reconstruction and surface improvements that will provide a more resilient surface requiring less ongoing maintenance and fewer future disruptions for motorists.”

The work at Tackinbri continues a program of upgrades on the Newell Highway for the benefit of all residents and motorists in the state’s north.

Work on the heavy duty pavement upgrade of the highway between Narrabri and Moree that started in July 2022 is near completion and a separate safety upgrade at North Croppa, just north of Moree, wound up in November 2024.

These projects, along with the planned work at Tackinbri, will deliver an upgraded Newell Highway from Narrabri to Boggabilla, providing motorists with a safer, smoother ride all the way from Narrabri to the Queensland border.

Once early work starts at Tackinbri, changed traffic conditions will be in place for the safety of workers and motorists.

Road users are advised to drive to the conditions and follow the directions of signs and traffic control, including single lane closures and a reduced 40 km/h speed limit.