The road was identified as a key freight corridor under the Namoi Unlimited Joint Organisations' (JO) Road Network Strategy and the Gunnedah council and Liverpool Plains Shire Council (LPSC) successfully applied for $2.25 million from the NSW government.

The overall cost of the project is $3 million to seal and widen the remaining 8.1km of the 11km road from Waverley Road to the Kamilaroi Highway between Caroona and Breeza.

Of the 8.1km, 2.7km falls in the LPSC area and 5.4km falls in the GSC area, so the councils will contribute $750,000 to the cost of the project.

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At its March meeting, LPSC received a report detailing the progress to date on the project and a funding agreement has been executed between GSC and the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

The co-contribution required by the Funding Deed from LPSC is $250,000. This will be sourced by allocating funds as part of the 2020/21 Operational Plan.

This collaborative approach involves LPSC staff participating in key decisions in relation to the design standards, environmental controls and construction quality assurance to provide an acceptable asset for LPSC ratepayers.

So far, a survey has been undertaken and an assessment of the review of environmental factors, and designs are in progress.

Construction is expected to start before the end of this financial year and the project should be completed in the middle of the 2020/21 financial year.

In conjunction with the Williewarina Road project LPSC undertook 18 months ago, it will provide a sealed link between Pine Ridge, Caroona and the Kamilaroi Highway at Breeza.