Currently 341 kilometres of the existing 677 kilometre Pacific Highway between Hexham and the Queensland border are now four lanes of divided road. Around 68 kilometres are currently under construction.

The final length of the highway will be 664 kilometres including a high standard connection to the F3 Freeway.

Priority one

Priority one is to complete dual carriageway between Hexham and Port Macquarie, between Ballina and the Queensland border and between Raleigh and north of Woolgoolga, along with growing suburbs of Coffs Harbour.

Priority one will be completed within the five year program to 2014.

Priority two

Priority two involves completing dual carriageway between Port Macquarie and Raleigh.

Substantial progress on the dual carriageway upgrade will be made on Priority two within the five year program to 2014 by: 

• Building the Kempsey bypass; and
• Preparing approximately 105 kilometres of new projects to upgrade the remaining two-lane highway. Projects include Frederickton to Eungai, Warrell Creek to Urunga and Oxley Highway to Kempsey.

Priority three

Progress on priority three includes:

• Completing dual carriageway safety upgrades at Glenugie (south of Grafton) and Devils Pulpit (north of Maclean); and
• Preparing environmental assessments and designs for the remaining sections of undeveloped two-lane sections of the highway between Woolgoolga and Ballina (150 kilometres).

Further interim safety improvements are being implemented on sections of existing single carriageway as part of either the safety and minor works package for the Pacific Highway upgrade or the state wide road toll response package. 

Next steps

The Australian and NSW governments have been jointly upgrading the Pacific Highway since 1996.

Currently, $4.84 billion has been committed to continue the highway upgrade.

This will complete a four lane divided road:

• From Hexham to Port Macquarie
• From Ballina to the Queensland border
• In the rapidly developing Coffs Harbour region from Raleigh to Woolgoolga

In addition, significant progress will be made on the Port Macquarie to Raleigh section by completing the Kempsey bypass, making a substantial start on the Frederickton to Eungai upgrade and preparing the remaining two lane sections for construction.