Airport roundabout fully opened to traffic

A new roundabout on the New England Highway, next to Armidale Regional Airport, was fully opened to traffic yesterday.

There will be some interruptions to traffic today, as final line markings are completed.

The new roundabout, approximately 5km south of Armidale, will provide safer access to the Armidale Regional Airport terminal and a link to an industrial subdivision being developed next to the terminal.

The two-lane roundabout will significantly improve traffic flows and safety for motorists on the highway and includes provision for future development on adjacent private land.

The project’s imminent completion coincides with the start of drainage works on the nearby Shand Drive, to improve road access to industrial sites along the northern end of the airport.

Shand Drive is being upgraded from a private access road to industrial subdivision standards, in a two-year project to establish stormwater drainage and widen and improve the 770m stretch of road.

The upgrade enhances access to a new Rural Fire Service regional hub at the airport, which includes a Logistics Shed constructed late last year and a Remote Area Firefighting Team training facility nearing completion.

Shand Drive also provides access to a number of air service operators and the road’s improvement will facilitate further development at the airport.

Published on 27 Mar 2019