Drivers approaching the New England Highway from Old Ballandean Rd north of Tenterfield will have a better chance of negotiating the intersection without incident thanks to the state’s first installation of a new technology.
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Vehicles travelling on the highway approaching the dangerous intersection from the north will trigger a sensor which causes traffic lights on the side road to flash, warning vehicles there of oncoming traffic. Tenterfield Shire Council’s chief operating officer Andre Kompler said it is then up to the driver entering the intersection as to whether they proceed.
The intersection has been the site of many collisions over the years due the proximity of the nearby crest in the highway.
Ministerial visit
Mr Kompler described the $90,000 installation to visiting NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey during her tour of the Tenterfield Shire in the company of MP Thomas George and mayor Peter Petty.
Ms Pavey said the state premier urged his ministers to go out and sell the budget and talk to communities, and Mr George was the first on the phone to encourage her to come to his electorate.
She said the rollout of the warning lights technology is the sort of measures the government has to undertake, particularly in the growing age of automated vehicles. She said government initiatives have already driven the road toll down by 30 per cent, and there’s room for more improvement in regional and country areas.
“That’s why half the $4.8B budget is on regional roads,” she said.
“It’s amazing what we can do now with technology to ensure better outcomes, particularly in the case of road safety.”
Mr George said the dangerous state of the intersection is raised at nearly every Roads and Traffic Committee meeting, and he and Cr Petty appreciated the support of the minister and the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) in addressing it.
Bypass
High on the agenda for the minister’s visit was Tenterfield Heavy Vehicle Bypass, and Ms Pavey said she realised how important the bypass was to the people of Tenterfield.
She said Mr George had been ‘on her case’ about the issue, and it was a good opportunity to have an understanding of what the bypass is going to look like.
“I know you’d like it tomorrow rather than in a couple of years, but we’re getting the work done. We’re 60 years in the talk about it, and we’re far more ahead now than what we’ve ever been.”
Ms Pavey said resources are allocated depending on safety and traffic movement, with the government needing to prioritise safety and traffic flow and to support freight movements.
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Saleyards truck wash
The tour also took in the Tenterfield Saleyards, where council has recently scored a $600,000 grant to install a truck wash to dispose of effluent in an environmentally-friendly manner, with wastewater being recycled for further use.
Watch council’s chief operating officer Andre Komple describe the proposed installation to the minister...
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Bridge inspection
The tour group then headed out to Bookookoorara Bridge to inspect the modular design which is tipped to revolutionise council programs to replace aging timber bridges.
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Last stop was Houtens Bridge on Paddys Flat Rd near Tabulam where it is hoped funds will be forthcoming to replace that bridge, utilising the new design.
Cr Petty said anything to drive down the cost of timber bridge replacement will be a boon, particularly the Houten Bridge which provides access for the cattle industry and the nearby Mountain Blue blueberry farm.
