Work has started on the upgrade of Waldron’s Swamp rest area, just north of Moruya.
NSW Roads and Ports Minister Duncan Gay said the upgrade will take six months to complete.
The rest area, located two hours south-east of Canberra, will be able to house four trucks of up to 19 metres in length at any one time.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said the project will provide truck drivers who regularly use the Princes Highway with a safe, modern place to pull over and take a break or catch up on their sleep.
“The funding for this upgrade is coming from our Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program, the first ever Federal initiative dedicated to addressing the unacceptable lack of safe, modern roadside facilities along the nation’s highways,” said Mr Albanese.
“In total we’re delivering 83 new and refurbished rest stops across NSW, including four on the Princes Highway, complementing our record investment in upgrading key sections of the State’s road network.
“By giving truck drivers more opportunities to get the respite they need, the investment we are making in new and better rest stops will over time make our roads safer for everyone.”
Gay said the expanded rest area will help improve road safety.
Last year in this State, 73 people lost their lives in crashes involving heavy vehicles, with fatigue a factor in many of them. We must continue to do all we can to prevent similar tragedies in the future – and without a doubt providing new and upgraded rest stops is part of the answer,” he said.
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