Transport

Pacific Highway Upgrade

Port Stephens, Cessnock, Maitland, Wallsend, Myall Lakes, Port Macquarie, Oxley, Coffs Harbour, Clarence, Ballina, Tweed

  • Status: Work in Progress
  • Start: Ongoing
  • Finish: Ongoing
  • Cost estimate: $2.45 billion to mid 2009
Pedestrian bridge over Pacific Highway Billinudgel, Northern NSW

Pedestrian bridge over Pacific Highway Billinudgel, Northern NSW

The Pacific Highway Upgrade has transformed 277km of one of the nation’s major transportation routes into dual-lane carriageways – creating jobs for NSW workers, improving the competitiveness of road freight operators and lowering deaths on NSW roads. And more improvements are on the way …

Pacific Hwy – one of the nation’s major transportation routes
Linking Sydney and Brisbane, the Pacific Highway is already one of the nation’s busiest rural highways yet it’s still the sixth fastest growing route in Australia. It’s one of the most critical roads in NSW, affecting the safety, wellbeing and livelihoods of local residents, truck drivers and holidaymakers.

Pacific Highway Upgrade – one of NSW’s biggest infrastructure projects
Upgrading the Pacific Highway is one of the largest infrastructure projects in NSW history. The Program is a joint initiative with the Federal Government.

Currently:

  • 277km of the Pacific Highway’s current 679km are now double-lane divided roads.
  • A further 77km are under construction
  • The remaining route has been approved for construction or had a preferred route identified.

Improving safety and efficiency for NSW drivers and businesses
The Upgrade program has made major improvements to road conditions that have resulted in a range of benefits for NSW drivers and businesses, including:

  • Reduced travel times
  • Lower road crash rates, including fatal and injury crashes
  • Improved competitiveness for freight operators
  • Lower transport costs for NSW businesses
  • Reduced frustration for NSW drivers
  • Greater development of regional NSW
  • Improved tourism for Northern NSW coastal centres

$2.45 billion invested
By mid-2009, NSW will have invested $2.45 billion in upgrading the Pacific Highway. The Federal Government has contributed a further $1.45 billion towards improving this major element of the National Land Transport Network. The projected works form part of the NSW Economic Stimulus program to create jobs for NSW workers and build a better future for our state.