'Dangerous' road upgrade years in the making now weeks from completion

Construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Dunns and Holbrook roads will mark the end of works to improve safety along the notorious stretch, which is expected to see traffic triple once it reopens.

Wagga City Council expects the build, which begins on Thursday, to take about eight weeks provided the weather holds out.

Uranquinty Progress Association committee member Christine Stewart said community members were already advocating for the road to be upgraded when she moved there nine years ago.

She said while it's taken longer than many would like, she's relieved it's nearly done.

"It's always been a bit hazardous driving on it, particularly in wet weather, because 90 per cent of it was gravel," she said.

"It's going to be much safer. The fact you can now get onto the highway I think is going to be a much safer option."

A spokesperson for Wagga Council said increased use of Dunns Road led to the conclusion the road needed to be sealed, and have other safety features added.

"The decision to upgrade Dunns Road was due to the road being widely used by motorists, with more people opting to use the road as a shortcut from the southern suburbs to the Olympic Highway, and from the Olympic Highway to the airport and Hume Highway," she said.

"The installation of the roundabout at the intersection of Dunns Road and Holbrook Road is due to the intersection being notorious for accidents.

"The expectation is that the traffic using Dunns Road will triple once it re-opens, therefore Council sees that it is necessary to make the intersection safer with the installation of a roundabout."

There have been a number of serious accidents at the intersection of Dunns Road and Holbrook Road, and the stretch from the intersection to the Olympic Highway.

Council and police have complained drivers have ignored speed limit and road closed signs, meant to keep drivers safe while work was ongoing.

But prior to this, the work was justified by former mayor Greg Conkey on the grounds it was a "very dangerous intersection ... one of the most dangerous intersections in this city".

Ms Stewart said she doesn't blame the council for delays on the road.

She said projects like this can be hard to complete quickly due to the complex relationships between governments and bureaucracies.

"I don't know how many decades in total this is taken, but it's been a very long time," she said.

"But I used to be a public servant - the wheels of bureaucracy are very difficult to make quicker.

"I don't know what the stop points are with council, but there are a whole lot of agencies involved ... I know from experience that's a very difficult thing."

Detours will be in place on Holbrook Road for the duration of the works around the Holbrook Road intersection.

Traffic west of Holbrook Road (from Dunns Road) will be diverted via Currawang Drive and Mirbelia Drive.

Traffic east of Holbrook Road (from Lloyd Road) will be diverted via Mallee Road, Springvale Drive and Featherwood Drive.

Dunns Road will remain closed between Kunzea Place and the Olympic Highway until the completion of the roundabout.

Stages one and two have already sealed the 3.3 kilometres from Holbrook Road to the Olympic Highway, and added turning lanes at the intersection of the highway and Dunns Road.