The 45km project, managed by Mid-Western Regional Council, included widening the traffic lanes, constructing new overtaking lanes, intersection safety works, turning bays, and drainage works.

“It’s a fantastic road now,” Mayor Des Kennedy said. “Not only for the people coming to the three mines to work, but it’s now a good link to Newcastle and much safer. There’s 2,800 employees that work at these three mines that travel on this road each day, there’s 3,500 car movements, which is similar figures to the Newell Highway.

“Colleen Holland really was the driving force that got us councillors off our backsides and got over 10,000 signatures on a petition to get it tabled in Parliament.

“Congratulations to the gang that has worked out here for the last four years, they’ve done a wonderful job. And a big thank you to our three local coal mines, it’s fantastic that they saw fit to help pay the bill to get their workers to and from work safely.”

Ian Flood, of Wilpinjong, said that regarding the industry’s involvement they “understood that we needed to be part of the solution”.

“It was a road that was in definite need of repair, and this Ulan Road project shows the benefit of collaboration between the local council, local community and all three mines. In my time in Mudgee in the last 10 years I can think of two or three significant incidents on the road that with the upgrades are much less likely to occur.”