Smart highway system trial begins on Golden Highway to curb heavy-vehicle risks
New smart-highway technology is being tested on the Golden Highway near Cassilis to slow heavy trucks and improve safety at a rural intersection.
Communities along the Golden Highway have complained about an increase in oversize and over-mass trucks heading to the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone, prompting safety worries. To address this, Transport for NSW has deployed a Rural Intersection Speed Zone (RISZ) trial at the Cassilis junction, employing radar detectors and variable speed limit signs that activate when a vehicle is detected on Ulan Road. The system is designed to temporarily lower speeds, allowing side-road traffic to enter safely before normal limits resume.
Transport for NSW executive John-Paul Ahern noted the installation is bespoke for this location, which has recorded three serious crashes in five years. Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison highlighted the trial as part of a broader $128.5 million upgrade of the Golden Highway, describing it as a generational investment. Local development chair Jane Hegarty sees the trial as a cost-saving alternative to building new turning lanes and will watch its effectiveness closely. The pilot will run for a year.
Why it matters
The trial could reduce accidents on rural roads heavily used by oversized trucks transporting renewable-energy components.
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