Final section of the Pacific Highway upgrade nears completion

The largest road infrastructure project in regional Australia is nearing completion with the final 36 kilometre section opening.

Glenugie and Tyndale is the final section to be upgraded after construction began in 2018.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the $15 billion Pacific Highway upgrade program started 20 years ago to make journeys safer between Hexham and the Queensland border.

“In this time the number of fatal crashes on the highway each year has more than halved, from 53 in 1999 to 15 in 2019. Of course, any death on our roads is one too many and this is why the Federal Government is investing $100 billion on infrastructure over the next decade,” Mr. McCormack said.

“The Pacific Highway upgrade has also been a major investment in our regional communities, creating more than 3000 jobs during the peak of the Woolgoolga to Ballina project alone and injecting millions into local economies.”

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade was the final link in the Pacific Highway, with the project now about 89 per cent complete.

“This started as a response to a horrific crash in Grafton in 1999, but it has now become much more than just a safety upgrade – it’s transforming tourism, freight and local journeys into smoother, and more reliable ones, which is critical for our regional economies.”

Upgrades to this section will mean motorists can benefit from more than 80 kilometres of dual carriageway between Woolgoolga and Ballina.

Electronic message signs will provide wayfinding information, and motorists should be aware of traffic management and reduced speed limits while work continues to build the upgrade.

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