Pacific Highway - Harrington Road Interchange

Transport for NSW has prepared a concept design and Review of Environmental Factors (REF) to identify potential impacts for the project and proposed mitigation measures for the upgrade.

The community and stakeholders were invited to provide feedback between Friday 9 February and Sunday 10 March. We are now preparing a report that includes responses to issues raised by the community.

Transport would like to thank the community for their continued interest in the project.

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.

Harrington and Coopernook roads intersect with the Pacific Highway to provide a local connection between the communities of Harrington and Coopernook.

The two intersections currently require motorists to complete a right turn across two lanes of traffic travelling at 100 kilometres an hour on the Pacific Highway. Between 2016 and 2022, there have been 10 crashes in the project site area, including one fatality.

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

Following the commitment of the Australian and NSW governments in 2021 to fund this important upgrade for the communities of Coopernook and Harrington, Transport for NSW has progressed to concept design and environmental assessment for the project.

The proposed upgrade would improve road safety by removing the right hand turns on and off the highway, while improving accessibility and connectivity between the towns of Harrington and Coopernook.

The proposed interchange  would include:

• an interchange with a bridge over the Pacific Highway
• a link road with a single lane in each direction connecting Coopernook Road and Harrington Road
• a connection with Coopernook Road via a single-lane roundabout (or appropriate intersection)
• a connection with Harrington Road via a single-lane roundabout (or appropriate intersection)
• raising Coopernook Road between the Pacific Highway and the proposed roundabout to maintain current flood immunity
• adjustments to the Pacific Highway median to remove turning lanes, install wire rope and concrete barriers
• utilising existing left-in/left-out connections to enter and exit the Pacific Highway
• a shared user path across the bridge
• acceleration and deceleration lanes on the Pacific Highway to ensure safe entry and exit to and from the highway.

What is a grade separated interchange?

A grade-separated interchange allows for movement of traffic between two or more roads on different levels. In this instance, it is created with a proposed bridge overpass improving flow of traffic on the Pacific Highway and between the towns of Harrington and Coopernook.

Key benefits of the project include:

• improve road safety for all road users
• improved accessibility and connectivity between Harrington and Coopernook
• remove the need for motorists to turn right across the highway
• improved traffic flow for motorists and freight
• reduce the risk and severity of crashes.

Transport prepared a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) to determine the potential environmental and social impacts for the project and proposed mitigation measures for the upgrade.

The REF was placed on display between Friday 9 February and Sunday 10 March for community members and other stakeholders to review and submit their comments and questions. View the REF Main Report with Appendices A and B (PDF, 19.99 MB).

Each submission received as part of this community engagement will be considered and responded to as we move into the next stage of planning.

The REF explains the proposed construction methods, addressing how the work will be managed, including the proposed methods used to minimise environmental impacts on:

• the local community through traffic, access, noise and vibration
• flora and fauna
• soils and water quality
• socio-economic
• flooding
• Aboriginal heritage.

Have your say - October 2022

The community was invited to have their say on the proposed concept design in October 2022. The 'have your say' resulted in a total of 30 submissions from the community. The majority of submissions were supportive of the proposal.
Transport published a community consultation report on the initial concept design in August 2023, which summarises community concerns and provides responses to the submissions made.

View a copy of the community consultation report (PDF, 859.72 KB).

After the submission period closes, we will publish a report that includes responses to issues raised by the community.

We will consider all feedback received during the display period and continue to consult with the community and stakeholders as the project progresses.

Timing for construction of the upgrade has not been confirmed and is subject to project approval.

• February 2024 project update (PDF, 1.83 MB)
  Have your Say on the concept design and Review of Environmental Factors and Pacific Highway - Harrington Road Interchange project.
• October 2022 project update
  Have Your Say on the initial concept design for the Harrington Road Interchange project.

• August 2023 Community Consultation Report (PDF, 859.72 KB)
  Harrington Road interchange – initial concept design

Pacific Highway – Harrington Road Interchange Review of Environmental Factors Main Report, Appendix A (Consideration of section 171 factors and matters of national environmental significance and Commonwealth land) and Appendix B (Statutory consultation checklists). (PDF, 19.99 MB)

• Appendix C – Consultation letters (PDF, 437.57 KB)
• Appendix D – Biodiversity Assessment Report (PDF, 29.3 MB)
• Appendix E – Hydrology and Flooding Assessment Report (PDF, 83.13 MB)
• Appendix F – Surface Water and Groundwater Assessment Report (PDF, 7.79 MB)
• Appendix G – Preliminary Site Investigation (PDF, 46.92 MB)
• Appendix H – Traffic and Transport Assessment Report (PDF, 13 MB)
• Appendix I – Air Quality Methodology and Impact Assessment Data (PDF, 693.63 KB)
• Appendix J – Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment Report (PDF, 35.48 MB)
• Appendix K –Stage One PACHI (PDF, 1.65 MB)
• Appendix L – Landscape Character and Visual Amenity Assessment Report (PDF, 78.07 MB)

• 9 February 2024
  Have your say on proposed Pacific Highway interchange at Harrington and Coopernook roads
• 1 September 2023
  Community consultation report on display for proposed Harrington Road and Coopernook Road interchange