Pacific Highway Upgrade

Sapphire to Woolgoolga construction

Construction

Leighton Contractors and Fulton Hogan Pty Ltd joint venture has been contracted to design and construct the 25 kilometre Sapphire to Woolgoolga Pacific Highway upgrade.

Construction commenced in August 2010.

What has happened

Upgrade section

  • Commenced pavement gravels.
  • Continued construction and maintenance of environmental controls.
  • Continued bulk earthworks.
  • Continued bridge works.
  • Continued relocation of public utilities such as power, water and telecommunications.
  • Continued installation of transverse drainage structures and drainage structures.
  • Commenced construction of retaining walls.
  • Commenced a trial of the paving operations.

Bypass section

  • Continued construction and maintenance of environmental controls.
  • Continued bridge works.
  • Continued controlled blasting about 1km north of Bark Hut Road, Woolgoolga.
  • Continued to progress earthworks and drainage works including fauna crossings.
  • Commenced earthworks and drainage works in the Arrawarra interchange.
  • Completed construction of the Bark Hut Road sidetrack and commenced earthworks in readiness for bridge piling works.
  • Continued construction of the Newmans Road underpass.

What is happening now?

Upgrade section

  • Continuing construction and maintenance of environmental controls.
  • Continuing construction of a service road between Gaudrons Road and Sugarmill Road.
  • Continuing bulk earthworks and drainage works.
  • Continuing public utilities relocations.
  • Continuing bridge works.
  • Continued construction of retaining walls.

Bypass section

  • Continuing to backfill the Newmans Road underpass
  • Continuing construction and maintenance of environmental controls.
  • Continuing to progress earthworks and drainage works.
  • Completing construction of fauna crossings between Bark Hut Road and Embankment Road.
  • Continuing controlled blasting about 1km north of Bark Hut Road, Woolgoolga.
  • Continuing earthworks and drainage at the Arrawarra interchange.
  • Continuing bridge works.

Upcoming works

  • Continuing bulk earthworks and drainage works on the upgrade section.
  • Continuing bulk earthworks and drainage works on the bypass.
  • Continuing bridge works throughout the project.
  • Continuing construction of Diamond Head Drive local roadworks.
  • Continuing controlled blasting about 1km north of Bark Hut Road, Woolgoolga and commencing controlled blasting about 2km north-west of Woolgoolga.
  • Carrying out one controlled blast at a cutting between Seaview Close and Campbell Close, Sapphire Beach.
  • Completing construction of the new Palmer Road and Bark Hut Road intersection.
  • Continuing public utilities relocations.
  • Continuing construction of retaining walls.
  • Continuing concrete pavements and flexible pavements.

Construction hours

Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm and Saturday from 8am to 1pm. Approval has been obtained to carry out works for sections of the project for a period of six months from May 2012 to November 19 2012 on Saturdays from 1pm to 5pm. The sections are:

  • About 500m north of Gaudrons Road, Sapphire Beach to the site compound south of Fiddaman Road, Emerald Beach.
  • North of Diamond Head Drive, Sandy Beach to Double Crossing Creek at south Woolgoolga.
  • Cut 19 1km southwest of Woolgoolga at Unwins Road.
  • Woolgoolga Creek Road to Newmans Road, Woolgoolga.
  • Poundyard Creek bridge, Woolgoolga.
  • North of Bark Hut Road, Woolgoolga to Arrawarra

 

Slow down in work zones!

Aerial view looking from the west at Sapphire, The Mountain Way in foreground, piers for Headland Road overbridge in middle distance Aerial view looking north along the Pacific Highway - Skinners Creek bridge in middle distance. Tiki Road to the right. Killara Avenue in the distance Aerial view looking from the north west - Hoys Road in foreground, moonee beach and Pacific Ocean in background Aerial view of the Woolgoolga Bypass construction through Wedding Bells State Forest Aerial view of the culvert construction - upgrade section Aerial view looking north on the Pacific Highway alignment - moonee beach shopping centre on right - moonee beach road overpass in middle Looking north from Sapphire Beach Construction of the overpass at Sapphire Beach Earthwork at Graham Drive South Aerial view looking north from Sapphire Beach on the upgrade Construction of the service road between Gaudrons Road and Sugarmill Road on the upgrade Earthworks near Graham Drive south on the upgrade Construction of the retaining wall at Hearnes Lake Road, Woolgoolga Greys Road bridge girders being lifted into position Bark Hut Road side track under construction on the bypass Aerial view looking north to Arrawarra on the bypass section Earthworks looking south from Woolgoolga Creek Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Construction of the Poundyard Creek Bridge on the Woolgoolga bypass Earthworks north of Bark Hut Road on the bypass Earthworks in Wedding Bells State Forest looking north to Arrawarra Drainage works in Wedding Bells State Forest on the bypass
Earthworks at Sapphire on the upgrade Earthworks continuing on the Moonee Beach interchange Piling operations at Skinners Creek on the upgrade Construction of the Diamond Head Bridge Earthworks looking south from northern Graham Drive on the upgrade Construction of the twin bridges over Woolgoolga Creek on the bypass Construction of Newmans Road underpass and bridge over Poundyard Creek on the bypass Earthworks looking south from Gaudrons Road on the upgrade Earthworks continuing on the Moonee Beach interchange Unwins Road underpass on the Woolgoolga bypass Super-T girders are lifted into position for the twin bridges over Woolgoolga Creek on the bypass Earthworks looking north from Woolgoolga Creek Road on the bypass Earthworks south of Bark Hut Road to Poundyard Creek on the Woolgoolga bypass Earthworks in the Wedding Bells State Forest on the bypass Piling operations near Headlands Road on the upgrade Earthworks south of Gaudrons Road on the upgrade First Super-T girder arrives onsite Powerline relocations at Moonee Beach on the upgrade Cunninghams Creek Bridge under construction on the upgrade Earthworks north of Bark Hut Road on the Woolgoolga Bypass Powerline relocations near Sapphire on the upgrade Earthworks near Gaudrons Road on the ugrade Construction of the central bridge support for the Moonee Beach interchange Moonee Beach interchange under construction Earthworks south of Bark Hut Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Skinners creek bridge under construction on the upgrade Powerline relocations near sapphire on the upgrade Sheeting piling at double crossing creek near woolgoolga Earthworks south of greys road on the woolgoolga bypass Piling operations at greys road on the woolgoolga bypass Earthworks south of bark hut road on the woolgoolga bypass Screening operations about 1km north of bark hut road on the woolgoolga bypass White-bellied sea eagle in the wedding bells state forest on the bypass Green tree frog on the woolgoolga bypass Piling operations for the Moonee Beach interchange on the upgrade section Tree clearing and earthworks at the Moonee Beach Road intersection with the Pacific Highway Relocation of power poles near Unwins Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Controlled blasting north of Unwins Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Earthworks looking north from Woolgoolga Creek Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Earthworks south of Bark Hut Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Earthworks north of Bark Hut Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Translocated endangered Rusty Plum tree Construction of the underpass at Unwins Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Bridge works at Cunninghams Creek on the upgrade Drainage works at Woolgoolga Creek Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Drainage works near Fiddaman Road on the upgrade Earthworks and drainage near Bark Hut Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Earthworks north of Bark Hut Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Piling operations at Double Crossing Creek Woolgoolga on the upgrade Earthworks on the bypass looking north from Bark Hut Road Earthworks near Campbell close on the upgrade Earthworks looking north from Woolgoolga Creek Road on the bypass Drainage works on the bypass Construction of Hoys Road Bridge on the upgrade Bridge at Hoys Road under construction on the upgrade Piling for Woolgoolga Creek Bridge Crushing plant at work Cut 19 Clean water channel downstream of Hoys Road dam during dewatering Preparation for Moonee Beach interchange Woolgoolga bypass looking south from Greys Road Looking south from Newmans Road on the Woolgoolga bypass Earthworks on the upgrade - looking north from Campbell Close Earthworks from Unwins Road to Greys Road on the bypass Drainage works at Bark Hut Road on the bypass Piling for Woolgoolga Creek Bridge Crushing plant at work Cut 19 Clean water channel downstream of Hoys Road dam during dewatering Site works near Greys Road Scrapers working near Unwins Road Scrapers working near Unwins Road Woolgoolga Creek Road Earthmoving at Cut 19 Earthmoving at Cut 19 Site works