Federal, State and Local Governments and the trucking industry have announced a new $82 million spending initiative aimed at upgrading the safety of the country’s road network.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, said that around $67 million the funding will be used to build or upgrade 50 rest areas, improve signage along the nation’s highways and trial smart technologies, making it safer and easier for truck drivers to rest or reconfigure their trailers.

The projects have received approval under the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program.

For the first time, funding has also been set aside to improve safety at livestock saleyards and to upgrade other facilities used by the livestock transport industry.

Around $15 million will be used to build or improve the safety and condition of 119 ramps, 42 loading pens, the lighting in 16 saleyards as well as to install or upgrade truck wash points, internal roadways and install saleyard security gates.

The full list of projects can be found here