Some of these towns, which have suffered for years as heavy traffic has roared through their streets, will now be bypassed by the new highway.

For most townsfolk this will be a blessing.

But some shopkeepers may be feeling anxious that business will also pass them by.

This is not a new problem. Other towns on other highways over the past years have confronted a similar dilemma.

The Hume Highway, for example, once passed through towns such as Goulburn, as its wound its way between Canberra and Sydney. That is no longer the case. A realignment of the highway took hours off the trip but bypassed Goulburn along the way.

Other villages off that particular highway, Berrima for example, thrive because they have marketed themselves as the destination for weekend getaways and have developed cottage industries such and bed and breakfast accommodation, fine dining restaurants and trendy cafes, as well as a range of specialty shops, to compensate.

Closer to home, Branxton is at present a nightmare with long lines of traffic clogging the town. But Branxton looks like it is on the right track to planning a brighter future. A draft vision for the town includes narrower streets and wider, more user-friendly footpaths with features such as alfresco dining. The draft will be placed on public exhibition next month.

But with a combination of factors including the global economic crisis and the ongoing drought sapping the lifeblood out of many country towns across NSW, the people of Branxton cannot afford to be complacent at this crucial time in their future.