33 road safety projects worth nearly $20 million will roll out across regional NSW, as councils from the Central West to the South Coast and Far West upgrade busy roads to better protect drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
The funding will go toward practical fixes at known trouble spots—including new crossings, refuges, footpaths, shared paths, roundabouts, lighting, barriers and widened road shoulders—in a bid to cut the risk of serious and fatal crashes.
The Road Safety Program will deliver a joint investment of more than $19.7 million, shared equally between partners, and has already channelled $125 million to councils across NSW since its launch in early 2024.
The latest round spans 20 local government areas and targets places where people actually move through towns every day—outside schools, along key corridors and at intersections that have clearly worn the brunt of regular traffic.
Which Roads Are Set To Change
Amongst the new changes, a $2.736 million upgrade to Tooma Road in Tumbarumba will widen the road, add extra lanes and install a safety barrier.
Other works include a shared path network in Wilcannia, pedestrian improvements in Bowral, safety upgrades on Wombeyan Caves Road, a roundabout and fencing at Yeoval and new school-adjacent footpaths in Korora and Binalong. $2.7M for Tooma Road widening and barriers in Tumbarumba
Big Changes Include:
- $2.1M shared path on Calala Lane near Tamworth
- $1.6M shoulder widening on Wombeyan Caves Road
- Roundabout at Yeoval’s Forbes/Obley streets ($1.8M)
- Shared paths in Wilcannia, Bowral, Dubbo, Narrandera
- School-zone footpaths in Korora, Binalong, Bendemeer, Lake Heights
- Barriers on Oallen Road, Woodburn Coraki Road
Why It Matters For NSW
The program focuses on reducing the crashes that most often cause death or serious injury, especially in regional communities, where long stretches of road and mixed traffic can turn a routine trip into a dangerous one.
The program also leans heavily into what road safety planners call “practical treatments”—the sort of low-drama but high-impact changes that can make a crossing safer or give a driver a bit more room to recover from a mistake.
That matters in regional NSW, where the distance between towns can be vast, the roads can be unforgiving and pedestrians still need to get to school, shops, buses and public spaces safely. Hence, the latest works target everyday pinch points instead of relying on broad slogans or vague promises.
What’s being built
The upgrades include a mix of pedestrian and vehicle-focused treatments, with school zones featuring prominently in the list of projects. For example, in Wingecarribee, Bowral and Mittagong will receive footpaths, refuges and fencing, while Wollongong council areas will add speed cushions, lighting, and better bus stop access near schools.
On the roads themselves, councils will see barriers, sealed shoulders, widened lanes and intersection changes at locations including Oallen Road, South Gundurimba, Richmond Valley and Wombeyan Caves.
The funding priorities clearly show a shift away from ribbon-cutting optics and toward actively reducing risk on the roads people rely on every day.
Official Reaction
Federal Government has said the investment reflects the importance of getting people home safely on regional roads, particularly in communities spread across large distances. The funding reduces road trauma and helps councils deliver infrastructure where it will have the greatest impact.
The government also urged drivers not to treat new infrastructure as a substitute for good judgement behind the wheel, saying safety still starts with the decisions people make each time they drive.
