Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) in New South Wales has selected AECOM and BMD Constructions as its strategic partners to build overtaking lanes on Newell Highway in Australia.

As a member of the Newell Highway Program Alliance, the partners will be responsible for the development of at least 30 additional overtaking lanes during the next four years.

Under the Newell Highway Program Alliance, a minimum of 45km of overtaking lanes will be constructed to enhance safety, cut travel times and improve freight productivity.

The alliance’s leadership team will comprise representatives from each of Roads and Maritime Services, BMD and AECOM.

Jay Stricker will represent AECOM on the Newell Highway Alliance leadership team.  BMD Constructions general manager NSW/ACT, John Vida, will represent his company.

Stricker said: “We are delighted to be part of this partnership with Roads and Maritime Services and BMD, we are confident that this collaborative approach between the public and private sector is the best way to deliver this significant programme of work.

“This is the most significant alliance between the private sector and Roads and Maritime Services for a number of years.”

“Throughout the project, we will have a joint focus on project safety, reducing delivery timelines and keeping this critical freight route flowing.”

The alliance partners will carry out construction work with the intention to minimise disruption and keep both lanes of two-lane highway moving.

Upon completion, the new overtaking lanes are likely to save about 25 minutes of travel time along the section of the Newell Highway between the state borders.

Vida said: “This is the most significant alliance between the private sector and Roads and Maritime Services for a number of years.

“It brings together the design, construction and project management responsibilities into one organisation ensuring a consistent approach where everyone’s goals are aligned.”

Construction of the first pair of overtaking lanes at Dusty’s Creek, north of Gilgandra, is scheduled to begin in the next few months.

Newell Highway is more than 1,060km long and connects the Victorian border at Tocumwal to the Queensland border at Goondiwindi.