Pacific Highway Upgrade

Tintenbar to Ewingsdale

Project snapshot

Contractors: Baulderstone Pty Ltd
Form of contract: Design and construct contract
Workers on site: 80
Pieces of large plant: 25
Start date of major construction: Mid 2012
Expected completion date: Second half 2014 (weather permitting)
Project value: $862 million
Australian Government contribution: $566.1 million *
NSW State Government contribution: $295.9 million *

* Contribution amounts may vary from year to year.

The Tintenbar to Ewingsdale section of the Pacific Highway upgrade is approximately 17 kilometres in length starting at the northern end of the Ballina bypass at Ross Lane and extending to the Ewingsdale interchange.

The project was approved for construction in January 2010.

Baulderstone Pty Ltd have been awarded the contract to design and build the project.

Benefits

  • Improved road safety.
  • Uninterrupted highway traffic flow.
  • Easy access on and off the highway for local traffic.

Key features

  • Interchanges for motorists to safely enter and exit the highway.
  • A four lane divided road, with a wide median allowing for the future addition of a third lane in each direction when required.
  • A motorway standard highway with a 110 km/h speed limit and no access for traffic between interchanges.
  • Separated local traffic and highway traffic by providing a continuous alternative local road link between Tintenbar and Ewingsdale for school buses and motorists who do not wish to use the upgraded highway.

What's happening during March to May 2013

  • Continue clearing of vegetation, bulk earthworks, installation of erosion and sediment control, fencing, drainage installation, construction of box culverts and water quality basins.
  • Continue construction of bridges at Minor, Emigrant, Skinners, Byron and Tinderbox Creeks and Broken Head Road.
  • Continue controlled blasting at the southern tunnel portal and start controlled blasting at the northern tunnel portal.
  • Commence St Helena tunnel excavation operations.
  • Complete construction of ancillary site compounds at Ewingsdale and commence site compound construction at Minor Creek and the southern tunnel portal.
  • Continue local road upgrades at Bangalow Road.
  • Complete local road upgrade of Tinderbox Road.
  • Start construction of further site access gates at Newrybar and Bangalow.
  • Implement temporary traffic diversion along Broken Head Road.
  • Continue work on the Pacific Highway at Bangalow and Ewingsdale to establish a contra-flow traffic arrangement.
  • Continue rock crushing operations near Ross Lane, the old fish farm, William Flick Drive and the tunnel portals.
Installation of a large drainage pipe at the base of Arundel Hill on the northern side Bulk eartherworks from the top of Arundel Hill looking north towards Bangalow Looking north across Banglow Road towards Byron Creek Looking south across Bangalow Road Byron Creek bridge looking north towards Tinderbox Valley Looking south from St Helena Road towards the Tinderbox Valley Earthworks, from the top of the existing Ewingsdale noise wall looking north Bulk earthworks just north of the Macadamia Castle looking south Placing shotcrete in a drain just south of the Macadamia Castle Tinderbox Valley looking north towards St Helena Road Small access bridge deck lift to the south of St Helena Road Emigrant Creek Bridge looking north Concrete pour for a precast arch just south of the Macadamia Castle Preparation of the southern portal of the St Helena tunnel Earthworks adjacent to Carney Place, Knockrow, looking north Bebo arch footing concrete pour at the fish farm Blade wall at emigrant Creek looking east towards Pacific Highway Blinding layer poured for a large culvert Boom pump concrete pour for headwall near the southern portal of the St Helena Tunnel Bridge headstock at Emigrant Creek Bridge piling operation at Skinners Creek Bridge piling rig mobilisation for Broken Head Road Byron Creek blade wall looking north Byron Creek Bridge blade walls Construcation at the Ewingsdale interchange looking north Construction of spill through and bridge abutment at Minor Creek Construction of the Ewingsdale noise mound Construction of western headwall north of carney Place looking north. Earthworks between watsons Lane and Broken Head Road looking north Excavation of a culvert near William Flick Lane Excavtor digging a clean water drain Fill placement for the southbound on ramp at Ewingsdale looking south Fill placement looking west towards the Pacific Highway at Ewingsdale Foundation treatment, looking west towards the Pacific Highwayway Local road upgrade at Ivy Lane Looking south along Pacific Highway at Bangalow Looking south towards Arundel Hill Skinners Creek Bridge piling operation looking north Skinners Creek Bridge piling operation Top of Arundel hill looking north along road alignment View from Pacific Highway looking west to Minor Creek piling works Cross drains at Southern portal Crushing corestones at Ross Lane Drainage line at works near Bangalow Rd Foundation treatment after excavating silt from the ponds at the old fish farm, Knockrow Foundation treatment after excavating silt from the ponds at the old fish farm, Knockrow General progress looking south on Broken Head Piling rig and cranes at Byron Creek Piling rig mobilised at Byron Creek bridge site Placement of pipe culvert units at works near Bangalow Rd Site preparation at Minor Creek, looking north Traffic control on St Helena Road Clearing and grubbing at Broken Head Rd Drainage layer foundation works at access road E Eastern fence line installed looking south Embankment foundations at works near Bangalow Rd Pipes laid and backfilled at Ivy Lane Shotcreting of the open drains north of Martins Lane Gate 5 backfill of stormwater pipes Gate 7 backfill works Gate 7 top of sub grade Hydro mulching batters at the main compound. Ongoing works at the main site compound Earthworks progress at Bangalow compound site Sediment basin at the Bangalow site compound looking south, including inlet spillway Spray sealing at Bangalow site compound Installation of boundary fencing Tintenbar to Ewingsdale site compound establishment works Tintenbar to Ewingsdale site compound establishment works Tintenbar to Ewingsdale site compound establishment works Tintenbar to Ewingsdale site compound establishment works Community information session at the Bangalow A & I Hall Community information session at the Bangalow A & I Hall
October 15 2012 - 7am October 15 2012 - 10am October 15 2012 - 3pm October 18 2012 - 10am October 19 2012 - 8am October 23 2012 - 7am October 23 2012 - 9am October 23 2012 - 10am October 25 2012 - 12 noon October 25 2012 - 4pm October 26 2012 - 8am October 26 2012 - 2pm October 29 2012 - 2pm October 31 2012 - 2pm November 1 2012 - 8am November 1 2012 - 10am November 2 2012 - 1pm November 3 2012 - 8am November 4 2012 - 4pm November 7 2012 - 11am November 7 2012 - noon November 7 2012 - 1pm November 8 2012 - 7am November 9 2012 - noon November 12 2012 - 3pm November 12 2012 - 4pm November 13 2012 - 9am November 13 2012 - 11am November 14 2012 - 7am November 14 2012 - 11am November 16 2012 - 7am November 16 2012 - 9am November 19 2012 - 10am November 19 2012 - 2pm November 20 2012 - 9am November 20 2012 - noon November 20 2012 - 4pm November 21 2012 - 8am November 21 2012 - 1pm November 22 2012 - 9am November 22 2012 - 11am November 24 2012 - 7am November 24 2012 - 9am November 26 2012 - 9am November 26 2012 - 4pm November 27 2012 - 11am November 27 2012 - 2pm November 28 2012 - 9am November 28 2012 - 10am November 29 2012 - 8am November 29 2012 - 1pm November 29 2012 - 4pm November 30 2012 - 8am December 5 2012 - 7am December 6 2012 - 2pm December 7 2012 - 8am December 11 2012 - 11am December 12 2012 - 7am December 12 2012 - 1pm December 13 2012 - 6am December 13 2012 - 7am December 13 2012 - 12pm December 14 2012 - 8am December 17 2012 - 7am December 17 2012 - 11am December 18 2012 - 6am January 2 2013 - 8am January 2 2013 - 1pm January 3 2013 - 9am January 4 2013 - 3pm January 7 2013 - 1pm January 8 2013 - 9am January 9 2013 - 1pm January 11 2013 - 8am