Sturt Highway Audit: Fix Wagga Wagga

All of the worst blackspots on the Sturt Highway are located in Wagga Wagga and should be at the top of any federal plans to upgrade the road, according to an NRMA audit released today.
Acting CEO of NRMA Motoring & Services, Mr Peter Steele,
said he was concerned that there had been 100 crashes in Wagga
Wagga between January 2000 and December 2001 by far the highest
number of crashes of any town on the route.
"This is the first time NRMA has audited the Sturt Highway
from the Hume Highway intersection near Tarcutta to the Victorian
border," Mr Steele said.
The survey considered the Sturt Highway between the Hume near
Tarcutta and the Victorian border, cutting through towns including
Balranald, Hay and Wagga Wagga.
"While the pavement, signposting, road shoulders and lane
markings were in good condition, the audit found only two per cent
of the Sturt Hughway is three lanes wide or more," Mr Steele said.
"This is appropriate given that some areas of the road
experience small volumes of traffic, but as volumes increase in the
coming years the road will require upgrading."
Mr Steele said the best performing link of the highway, based
on road safety history was identified as the section from Hay to
Balranald, with crash and casualty rates 88 per cent and 72 per
cent below the route average.
"However, the worst performing link was identified as Hume to
Wagga Wagga with crash and casualty rates six and 12 per cent above
the route average," Mr Steele said.
"The section contains all of the significant blackspot and
blacklength locations identified on the route. This section also
experiences the highest crash and casualty rates of the highway and
the highest traffic volumes."
Mr Steele said the safety of the highway could be improved
through the provision of:Safe overtaking opportunitiesUnbroken double lines instead of broken lines on poor
curves.Additional rest areas - there are only ten rest areas on Sturt
Highway averaging one every 60 kilometres.