Pacific Highway safety improvements

Work to improve safety and freight access at the Cundletown interchange is continuing.

To improve work site safety, we will be implementing temporary closures of the northbound on-ramp and the northbound off-ramp during November with detours in place. We expect these closures to take place during the weeks starting Monday 7 November and Monday 28 November, weather permitting.

When the closures are in place, traffic will be directed to use temporary U-turn bays on the highway located 600 metres north and south of the interchange to travel to and from Cundletown.

For more information about the upcoming work and traffic changes view the November 2022 project notification (PDF, 400Kb).

Due to wet weather in recent months, the project has experienced some delays and the project is now expected to be completed by March 2023, weather permitting.

The Australian Government committed up to $300 million and the NSW Government a further $108.2 million in March 2021 to fund state-wide upgrades under the first phase of the Federal Stimulus Road Safety program.

More than $40 million has been provided through this program to fund safety improvements at six locations on the Pacific Highway. These projects will improve safety for more than 25,000 motorists who travel along the Pacific Highway each day.

The projects will generate work for more than 250 workers during construction, which provides a welcome boost to the local economy as it recovers from COVID-19.

This funding has allowed projects to be fast-tracked at Karuah, Topi Topi, Coolongolook, Cundletown, Ghinni Ghinni and Middle Brother.

These projects are delivering upgrades to a total of 25 kilometres of the highway, and include road widening, resurfacing and installing safety barriers.

Work started at some of the locations in April 2021 and all projects are expected to be completed by early 2023.

Ghinni Ghinni – work involves resurfacing and improving road levels along an 10 kilometre stretch of the highway between Oxley Bend Road and Harrington Road.

Cundletown – Work is underway on improvements at the Cundletown interchange to improve safety and increase the level of service for larger freight vehicles.

The upgrade of the Cundletown interchange will support the development of the Northern Gateway Transport Hub on Princes Street, being developed and delivered by MidCoast Council.

For more information view the February 2022 project notification (159Kb) or view the project design (465Kb).

For latest information about work underway and traffic changes view the November 2022 project notification (PDF, 400Kb).

Karuah – work involved installing median and roadside safety barriers, rumble strips, clearing and road widening.

Topi Topi – work involved installing median and roadside safety barriers, rumble strips, clearing and road widening.

Coolongolook – work involved upgrading the median safety barrier.

Middle Brother – work involved improving the road shoulders along a three kilometre stretch of highway near Algona Road, and installing wire rope safety barriers and rumble strips.

• November 2022 project notification

  Work progress and traffic changes – Pacific Highway interchange upgrade, Cundletown.

• February 2022 project notification

  Start of work - Pacific Highway interchange upgrade, Cundletown from Monday 14 February.

• January 2022 project notification

  Start of section 2 – Safety improvements on the Pacific Highway Ghinni Ghinni from Sunday 30 January.

• November 2021 project notification

  Start of work – Safety improvements on the Pacific Highway, Ghinni Ghinni to Coopernook from Monday 15 November.

• November 2021 project notification

  Project update – Upgrade on the Pacific Highway at the Cundletown interchange.

• 7 March 2022

  Improvements start at Cundletown interchange.

• 5 August 2021

  $40M Pacific Highway safety boost on Mid North Coast.