Mayor Rowena Abbey, alongside the Barton Highway Taskforce, is pushing for $2 million of the $15 million in federal and state funding that was promised to the Yass Valley during the state election, to be used for a Business Case Analysis. 

Earlier this month, labour candidate for Eden-Monaro Mike Kelly with the Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Joel Fitzgibbon, met with Yass Valley Mayor Rowena Abbey at a community morning tea, where the Barton Highway was the hot topic. 

It was apparent the next step for the Barton duplication would be for the Yass Valley to acquire a Business Case Analysis. 

The Taskforce, led by the mayor, includes representatives from the truck and bus industry, the NRMA, road transport professionals and the local community, primarily focused on seeking funding commitments from both State and Federal Governments.

In a meeting on Monday, the Taskforce requested that $2 million of the the March 2015 funding be allocated toward the development of the analysis, with the balance of the funding to be spent on short term safety improvements in the form of overtaking lanes.

“We cannot stop there,” Cr Abbey said, “We are calling on both governments to work with the Taskforce to commit to urgently needed funds and a timetable for the duplication of the Barton Highway.”

On the drawing board since the 1970s, the duplication has been a battleground for many a mayor over the years. 

Yet Cr Abbey is confident that given the recent announcements on international flights in and out of Canberra, there will be additional pressure on the already heavily used road. A drawcard that Yass can only hope will get the attention of Minister for Roads, Duncan Gay. 

“As the ‘feeder highway’ to the National Capital for Western and Central Western NSW, as well as the Riverina, the volume of freight that will travel the road to and from the airport will increase significantly with the establishment of an international terminal in Canberra,” Cr Abbey continued. 

“Duplication not only addresses the safety concerns for road users, but will unlock opportunities for regional and rural communities to flourish and grow, with access to international markets driving economic growth and most importantly creating and sustaining jobs in our communities,” said Cr Abbey. 

“We need funding and timeline commitments from our politicians to upgrade this road.”