We're no longer a highway town.

"Parkes is growing up" were the words Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison used when she was in town last week to mark the opening of the Parkes Bypass.

She said towns have thrived when a highway has been shifted from its centre, using Yass as an example, while at the same time its residents enjoy the safety and amenity that comes with a bypass.

The new 10.5km section of the Newell Highway has been relocated two kilometres west of its former location to allow motorists, including 1200 trucks per day, to bypass Parkes.

Its initial announcement six years ago was met with fear from Parkes community members and businesses of what it would do to trade and tourism, the feeling lasting long into its construction and opening.

Minister Aitchison agreed it was challenging for towns but had no doubts it would greatly benefit Parkes.

She's reassured those still worried that Transport for NSW is working closely with the town's business community on signage to make sure Parkes is front-of-mind for drivers passing by.

"Towns like Yass which were bypassed many years ago by the Hume Highway... The bypass has worked so well for them I'm hearing from Yass Shire Council 'please bypass all of our local communities because we want the safety in our communities, we want the amenity'," Ms Aitchison said.

"And we know that once we get those big heavy trucks out of town we get that uplift in our local economy.

"Having all of that loud traffic going out of the main street is going to make life better for so many residents in Parkes."

She also believes having so many big trucks passing through a town's centre has a negative impact on trade and events.

"I worked in regional tourism for 20 years so I know how important those big events are but also the day-to-day activities... And we do need to have great signage along the highway to tell us where to go," Ms Aitchison said.

"We also have to remember back in the 1950s when highway towns lived and died on the transport and the tourism dollar, that's a different scenario.

"People don't always eat at home these days. There's a lot more of our locals going out to experience local cuisine and support local businesses.

"If you go back to the 70s and 80s you had your map, you booked your motel - now GPS will pick up Parkes very quickly.

"We are looking at the internet to pre-book and we know drivers have more of a plan when they go out these days."

Parkes Shire Mayor Neil Westcott, who was also present to mark the bypass milestone, said it was a great opportunity for Parkes.

"An opportunity to move on from here to really let Parkes grow in an organic way that will make a difference to our community," he said.

"I've been quite vocal lately in saying I believe Parkes Shire can't continue to stay at 15,000 people, it needs to be a community that has growth as something high on its agenda."

He described the feeling of seeing and hearing less trucks down Bogan Street, the former Newell Highway, as beautiful.

"The mayor's office which is only about 10 metres from the Newell Highway has a completely different sound," he said.

"It's a different vibe, it's a relaxed vibe - you can feel the safety around town.

"The b triples rolling through town, they're not meant to be there.

"One a minute, in 10-15 years it would have been one every 30 seconds going through Parkes, it just wasn't tenable."