NRMA to audit Hume, Sturt and Barton highways

The safety and performance of the Hume, Sturt and Barton highways will come under the microscope this week when the National Roads and Motorists' Association Limited audits all three roads.
NRMA CEO, Mr Rob Carter, said the audits would determine the
condition and safety of the national highways as part of NRMA's
campaign for better country roads.NRMA will use more than 50 audit criteria on both directions of
each road, including traffic volumes, signage, lane widths,
carriageways and the frequency of resting spots.The audits will look at crash and injury rates on each highway
and will also assess safe opportunities for overtaking, the road
alignment and changes in speed limits.Blackspots and blacklengths will be identified by plotting the
location of crashes and fatalities along each road with data
supplied by the Roads and Traffic Authority.The audit of the Hume Highway will take the auditors from Sydney
to Goulburn, Yass, Gundagai, Holbrook and Albury. It is the first
time NRMA has audited the road since 1993.For the first time, the auditors will join the Sturt Highway at
Wagga Wagga and travel along the route to Mildura and back via
Narrandera, Hay, and Balranald.The Barton Highway will be audited between Yass and Canberra
before the north-bound carriageway of the Hume Highway brings the
audit to its conclusion in Sydney."These three audits follow on from NRMA's intensive audit
program in southern NSW during the past year, which has included
the Princes, Monaro, Kings, Federal and Snowy Mountains highways
and Main Road 286," Mr Carter said.Mr Carter said the audits would play a central role in NRMA's
lobbying effort to secure safer, more driver-friendly roads for its
two million members."We will use the audit reports to advocate for funding for any
necessary improvements," Mr Carter said."The Federal Government collects fuel tax worth more than $11
billion each year but spends just $2 billion on roads. The
Government must commit to a minimum 10-year strategic transport
plan that includes roads, rather than the current ad hoc
approach."The plan must include a minimum five-year rolling federal works
program to complement work already being undertaken by the State
Government."Mr Carter said NRMA planned for the results of the audits to be
available by Christmas.