Another 8.2 kilometres of the Clarence Way is set for an overhaul, with Kyogle Council locking in $12.5 million to upgrade six more sections of the road between Bonalbo and Urbenville.
The council secured around $10 million through the Australian Government’s Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program and will put in $2.5 million of its own money.
Work is due to start on Monday, 12 October, beginning with the section near Hootons Road. All the work is expected to be finished by early 2028.
“Clarence Way is a vital connection for our communities and plays an important role in supporting freight, agriculture, tourism and everyday travel across the region,” said Kyogle Council Mayor Danielle Mulholland.
Mayor Mulholland described the road as the lifeblood for rural communities in the west of the Kyogle local government area.
The sections to be upgraded are:
- 1.5km near the Hootons Road intersection.
- 700m north of Old Bonalbo Village.
- 1km near the Murphys Road intersection.
- 2.4km between Murphys Road and Falls Road at Bean Creek.
- The first 1.3km of Yabbra Scrub from the southern end.
- 1.3km near Blackwood Lane.
Crews will widen and strengthen the pavement, seal the road, replace culverts, and improve line marking and road markers.
That should make the road safer and more reliable for locals, freight operators, school buses, and visitors.
It is the latest chapter in a big push on the Clarence Way. Over the past three years, the council has upgraded more than 35.5km of the road between Sandilands and Urbenville, at a cost of about $50.2 million.
“These additional upgrades will improve safety and accessibility for road users while building on the significant investment that has already been made to the road in recent years,” Mayor Mulholland said.
“We thank the Australian Government for its continued support and look forward to delivering these important improvements for our communities.”
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