Flood-prone areas of the Newell Highway are being paved with a thicker layer of heavy duty asphalt in a bid to build a road surface that doesn't fall apart when it's flooded.
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The Newell has reopened to traffic after 49 days of full closure, with light vehicles off the road even longer.
Minister for Regional Roads Sam Farraway said roadworks would continue and urged motorists to drive to the conditions: there are 40km and 60km/hr road work speed limits in places.
He's adamant they're looking at making the road more resilient to future flooding.
Back in March 2019 $200 million was set aside for improving the "flood immunity" of key sections of the freight corridor, after a six-week closure with the 2016 floods.
According to the Transport for NSW project website, preliminary investigations were completed in September 2021.
In July 2022 they said work continued "to investigate and develop a number of potential options to improve flood immunity to several sections of the Newell Highway" and a comprehensive flood study had been developed.
Transport for NSW Director West Alistair Lunn on Monday said the environmental study on the broader Forbes to West Wyalong section of the road would be released "early in the new year".
The study looks at the Lachlan River, Bland and Back creeks and Mr Lunn described it as "a huge piece of work".
Mr Farraway said practical solutions were needed.
"We need to look at the approaches, we need to look at culverts, we need to look at the things that are going to allow Transport for NSW and crews to reopen this highway quicker," he said.
"I'll be working with local councils, communities and Transport for NSW at finding as many practical solutions as possible and using that $200m in to the future to make sure we get value for money and as much resilience built into the highway as we possibly can."
He acknowledged the closure had been lengthy, but said flying over the area in the days after the floodwaters peaked had shown just how much water was lying on the floodplain.
"There is no doubt in this most recent flood it has taken significant time for the waters to recede, it's been slow," he said.
"We will see more floods on this highway, it is on a floodplain. How do we learn to reopen this road quicker?
"We're spending the extra money where it is needed to ensure we have this heavy duty asphalt - this much thicker layer and heavy duty asphalt - that can withstand more weather events more often."
Forbes Shire Council General Manager Steve Loane welcomed the works.
"The main aim for us is - in conjunction with the State Government - is to have flood tolerant roads, so when the water inundates the roads, when the water recedes you can still drive on the roads instead of being faced with the enormous damage that we've got there now," he said.
Forbes acting Mayor Chris Roylance thanked Mr Farraway and Transport for NSW for the works to get the road open as quickly as possible.
"This is like a Christmas present for Forbes," he said, saying the closure of the highway shuts down the local economy.
"Places like caravan parks, motels, hotels, they just drop off. It's quite dramatic the drop off, that will start coming back as of today."
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