Upper Hunter MP Michael Johnsen said the Omadale Bridge replacements is amongst thirty-three projects across regional NSW to be awarded a share of $135 million, boosting freight efficiency, capacity and connectivity.

“The Omadale Bridge replacements will benefit our Upper Hunter Shire and the region by increasing tonnage and creating potential savings through removing up to 120 kilometres in detours, whilst improving access for the local community, tourism, industry and emergency services due to dual lanes,” he said.

“This bridge replacements will also remove risk of structural failure.

“Our freight trucks and trains carry our food, produce and raw materials that support our local Upper Hunter community. These projects will ensure freight vehicles get to where our communities need them to be.

“These projects improve connectivity between regional centres, state roads and freight facilities, reducing travel times, improving safety, and bring freight costs down.”

The Fixing Country Roads program has reached almost $346 million.

“Freight is worth more than $60 billion to the NSW economy. It is critical that NSW has a state of the art freight network as the global marketplace continues to become more competitive,” Mr Johnsen said.

“Since 2011, the Nationals in Government have delivered more than six hundred kilometres of sealed roads, almost two hundred bridges upgraded and twenty-eight truck washes built or upgraded, all delivered through the Fixing Country Roads program.”

The Nationals in government have invested $557 million into 310 projects across NSW, under the Fixing Country Roads and Fixing Country Rail programs.