Harrington Road Interchange, Pacific Highway

Transport for NSW is inviting the community to have their say on the Harrington Road Interchange initial concept design.

The initial design features:

• a grade-separated interchange with an overpass bridge
• new roundabouts on Coopernook Road and Harrington Road
• footpaths connecting to the local road network
• retain existing acceleration and deceleration lanes with left in / left out only connecting to the existing highway
• median safety barrier dividing the Pacific Highway

The community is invited to comment on the initial concept design described in detail in the map below and in the October 2022 Project Update (2.02Mb).

Submissions are open until 5pm on Friday 4 November 2022.

You can provide your feedback via the contact details listed at the bottom of this page.

The Pacific Highway is a 960km-long major transport route that connects Sydney and Brisbane. In 2021 the NSW Government completed the duplication of the Pacific Highway providing two lanes of travel in each direction, delivered progressively over the past 30 years.

During 1997, the Coopernook Bypass project planned for approximately 4.5 km of dual carriageway highway bypassing the village of Coopernook with a new bridge over the Lansdowne River. In 2002, the Pacific Highway Coopernook Bypass project commenced construction of the highway deviation. In 2004, the project was delayed for treatment and settlement of soft soils.

As part of the Pacific Highway duplication, designs were prepared for a future interchange at Harrington and Coopernook to allow the pre-loading to occur, a process that involves early construction of an embankment over soft soil that enables earth to settle evenly before construction. Pre-loading of this site for a future interchange occurred in 2005 and 2012.

As development has expanded along the east coast, with the Pacific Highway the only major route for inter-regional travel along the east coast, traffic has increased over time to make it increasingly difficult to safely enter and exit the highway at Harington and Coopernook Roads.

In May 2021, the Federal Government announced $48 million in funding for a future interchange at the Harrington to Coopernook intersection, this is supported by an additional $12 million from the NSW Government.

The Australian and NSW Governments are jointly funding a $60 million upgrade to the Pacific Highway intersections at Harrington Road and Coopernook Road to improve safety and reduce the risk and severity of crashes for motorists.

There have been 7 crashes at this intersection in the past six years including one fatality.

This project will create a safer connection between the towns of Harrington and Coopernook while ensuring better traffic flow, reduced congestion and improved traffic times for the 5,000 motorists who travel through this major intersection each day.

The final design will include:

• a grade-separated interchange
• acceleration and deceleration lanes
• an overpass bridge
• roundabouts

Key benefits of the project include:

• improved connection between Harrington and Coopernook
• remove the need for motorists to turn right across the highway
• improved traffic flow for motorists and freight for more reliable travel times
• improved safety for all road users
• reduce the risk and severity of crashes

Transport for NSW has engaged AECOM to complete the concept design and commence the review of environmental factors.

We plan to display the Review of Environment Factors (REF) and refined concept design in mid-2023.

• October 2022 project update

  Have Your Say on the initial concept design for the Harrington Road Interchange project.