The New South Wales Government has vowed to find funding for urgent upgrades to the flood-affected Newell Highway after concerns about major economic losses in the state's central west.

The Government said it was determined to re-open the major national highway as soon as possible after it was battered by flooding, causing significant freight delays and business losses.

The Newell Highway is the main inland freight corridor connecting Queensland with Victoria and remains underwater in sections near Forbes.

Roads Minister Duncan Gay visited the area today and said the Government would look at urgent upgrades to affected roads.

Mr Gay said it was critical the central west town remained accessible during major flood events.

He said business in Forbes had taken a 40 per cent hit because of the road closures.

"The community feeling on this is to try and make sure we've got a better ability to access into Forbes," Mr Gay said.

Floodwater remains on sections of the Newell Highway between Forbes and West Wyalong. ( ABC News: Luke Wong )

As part of the response, Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is being asked to undertake a $1 million investigation into flood-proofing the Newell Highway at Tichborne north of Forbes.

"I've asked RMS to do an investigation on Tichborne to see what we can do as far as future-proofing and making it better and safer in Forbes," he said.

Traffic is being diverted from Parkes via Cowra to West Wyalong, adding significant amounts of time to traffic traversing the route.

The Forbes Shire was one of a number of central west councils announced as a natural disaster area last week, making it eligible for flood recovery funding.

Mr Gay said RMS had vowed to reopen flood-affected sections of the highway as soon as possible.

"At the first opportunity, the Newell Highway will reopen," he said.

"It should also be acknowledged that we kept it open as long as we possibly could, in fact the last truck that went through the Newell Highway, RMS had to tow it through."

Traffic diversions are in place on the Newell Highway at Parkes. ( ABC News: Luke Wong )

The new Forbes Mayor Graeme Miller, who was elected to the top job late last week, has spent the past few days looking at the impact of the floods on the rural sector.

He said it was encouraging to see Mr Gay offer support.

"You just don't believe the water that's running around this shire," Cr Miller said.

"But it's important between Forbes and Parkes, that that corridor is kept open because a lot of people live in Forbes and work in Parkes and vice versa.

"That's quite encouraging to hear the Minister come here today without a lot of detail and supporting our concept for that road to be fixed up."