The federal and state governments have each committed $50 million over four years to upgrade the highway, which runs between the Hume Highway and the Australian Capital Terroritory. Virtually all of the 52-kilometre road remains single carriageway.

An extra $100 million, subject to the completion of a strategic business case to outline the priorities for road upgrades, will be provided by the federal government.

Wagga mayor Greg Conkey sees "tremendous benefit" not just for this city, but also Griffith and even further.

"It will provide a more direct route for industry to access the Canberra airport, as well as people travelling to the ACT," Councillor Conkey said.

"There's very heavy traffic along that highway and it's a single lane from near Yass right to the ACT and through Murrumbateman.

"I travel it regularly, It's slow, there's a lot of traffic and it should have been duplicated quite some years ago, but it will be of tremendous benefit commercially for this region, as well as for tourism as well, not only for people getting into Canberra, but for Canberra people to access this region.

"A lot of Canberra people have to travel south, not only to Wagga and Albury, but Melbourne as well, and it's bumper to bumper traffic, especially going in the morning and in the afternoons."

Danielle Wait, the president of the Wagga Business Chamber, can also see benefits to improving travel time and road safety between Wagga and Canberra.

"We would welcome anything that helps attracts visitors and tourists to Wagga," Ms Wait said.

"Also, we would welcome anything that could attract new business opportunities to Wagga."

The trucking industry is also throwing its weight behind the planned duplication.

"Freight demand is increasing faster than population growth, and as a result freight demand on the Barton Highway will continue to grow," a spokeswoman for the Australian Trucking Association said.

"The ATA believes investment in duplicating the Barton Highway must ensure the provision of better rest area facilities and better access for more productive vehicles, to move more freight on less trucks," she said.

Abb McAlister, mayor of Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council, believes there will be wide-ranging benefits for not just his council area, but the whole region.

"For anyone who wants to go to Canberra, it will be much quicker and easier. It will make travelling to our region even more appealing to tourists," he said.