Newell Highway Upgrade (Narrabri to Moree) Final Business Case Addendum

The Challenge

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is focusing on addressing critical infrastructure issues on the Newell Highway north of Moree. This section of the highway faces significant restrictions such as poor pavement conditions, sub-standard geometric alignment, low flood immunity, and inadequate safety features, preventing it from meeting current and future user requirements.

The Action

Polis Partners in association with MI Engineers and GHD undertook the following actions to support TfNSW:

• Business Case Development: Completed the original Final Business Case in 2020, outlining the scope and preferred options to address the infrastructure issues on the Newell Highway north of Moree.
• Addendum and Update: Developed a comprehensive addendum to the Final Business Case, incorporating updated economic analysis, cost-benefit ratios, and revised project designs in response to evolving market conditions and stakeholder insights.
• Commonwealth Funding Submission (PPR): Prepared and submitted a funding proposal to the Commonwealth Government, detailing the financial requirements and anticipated benefits of the Newell Highway upgrade to secure additional funding.

The Results

The Final Business Case, addendum, and Commonwealth Government funding submission were completed in line with Government best practice guidelines and submitted to Infrastructure NSW and Infrastructure Australia for review. The comprehensive analysis and strategic alignment ensured that the project met the necessary criteria for additional funding and approval.

The efforts led to a successful funding submission requesting $301.9 million from the NSW and Federal Governments to complete Stage 2 works.