With around 3000 vehicles travelling on Ophir Road each day, the intersection and roundabout will be a major on/off point for traffic when it is completed in mid-March.

The Central Western Daily accompanied project manager Josh Barnes, Orange mayor John Davis and councillor Chris Gryllis on a tour of the new road yesterday to see the progress.

Despite wet weather delaying the sealing of the road by weeks, overall the project is almost 80 per cent complete and well on its way to meeting the estimated end of financial year completion date, Mr Barnes said.

So far one kilometre of the road is sealed, with two more kilometres expected to be finished by the end of the week.

The road has met the standards of Roads and Maritime Services testing which has been “absolutely brilliant”, Mr Barnes said.

Next week the road will be tested for “rideability” or smoothness.

The new route will shave about six minutes off a journey through Orange, allowing drivers to avoid busy Summer Street and numerous traffic lights.

Cr Davis said the “main concern and challenge” of the project was to “get it right”.

“The staff and contractors are doing everything possible to get a first-class job and the community deserve that,” he said.

Cr Davis said “in the future” the council would look at the southern section of the bypass after the northern section was complete.

Cr Chris Gryllis said during his time as an owner of a Summer Street business he had seen traffic become significantly busier and more difficult.

“It will free up Summer Street and make it more for locals and not just trucks,” he said.

Although neither would say if the project was running on budget, both agreed it would be acceptable for the final figure to come within 10 per cent either side of the estimate.

Cr Davis told the Central Western Daily in August the project was expected to cost around $45-50 million.

The federal government has contributed $10 million in funding.

The six kilometre stretch of road will be predominately two lanes with overtaking lanes in steeper areas.

Mr Barnes said the council hoped the road would eventually become the Mitchell Highway with the Roads and Maritime Services taking over its management.

clare.colley@ruralp ress.com