Work is expected to begin on most projects in the coming weeks and months.

A bevy of trucking-specific projects across New South Wales will soon get underway to strengthen the state’s bridges, upgrade key routes and build new rest areas.

The Federal and NSW governments will jointly fund projects on council-owned and state government-controlled routes under the NSW Fixing Country Roads initiatives and the federal Bridges Renewal and Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity programs.

NSW roads minister Duncan Gay says Fixing Country Roads is aimed at better connecting local and regional roads to state highways and freight hubs to make it easier to move freight from paddock to port.

The Federal Government’s Bridges Renewal scheme is designed to improve the load-carrying capacity of council-owned bridges, while the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program funds trucking-specific projects such as rest areas, parking bays, road upgrades and technology trials.

Gay says 75 per cent of the 77 projects to receive funding from the programs are shovel ready, meaning works can begin in the coming weeks and months.

“Sixty successful council applications are road and bridge construction projects while 17 successful applications are bridge and culvert assessments, which will see the load-carrying capability of a total of 420 bridges and culverts assessed right across country NSW,” Gay says.

Many of the bridge projects involve replacing one-lane timber structures with concrete bridges, which Truss says will lead to better, safer and more reliable road access and more efficient freight movements from farms and local factories.

The Federal Government will allocate $119.6 million to 27 projects under the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program. Most of the projects are on local-government controlled roads, with six projects on state routes.

“These projects will improve the safety environment for heavy vehicle drivers and increase road transport productivity,” Gay says.

Funding will be used on projects such as a new rest area on the Hume Highway north of Albury. The project will include toilets and shelters and capacity for 15 B-triples or 20 B-doubles.

A new truck rest area and decoupling bay with toilet and shower facilities will be built on the Mitchell Highway. It will have capacity for 20 B-doubles and will be erected next to an existing 24-hour commercial fuel station.

Money will also be spent on installing green reflectors on existing guide posts to notify drivers they are approaching a stopping area, upgraded parking bays on the Golden Highway and a new parking area for 25 B-doubles on the Pacific Highway at Chinderah.

Furthermore, 50 new rest stop signs will be posted along the Mitchell, Kamillaroi and Gwydir highways and Kidman Way.

Funding will also go toward a number of road projects to improve heavy vehicle access in council areas.