Contracts totalling almost $3 billion have now been awarded on the 155-kilometre Woolgoolga to Ballina section of the Pacific Highway upgrade.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the milestone showed the sheer scale of one of Australia’s most significant infrastructure projects, with completed works along the full Pacific Highway length already delivering safer roads and reducing fatalities.
“The first two sections of the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade, 22 kilometres of new divided highway between Woolgoolga and Glenugie, were recently opened, delivering a safer and more reliable road network along the New South Wales north coast,” Mr Chester said.
Each new section that opens contributes to saving motorists time, with travellers now saving more than an hour and three quarters, compared to pre-upgrade travel times, from Hexham to the Queensland border.
NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey said the progress was continuing, with the contract for the main civil work between Iluka Road and Devils Pulpit awarded to BMD Constructions.
“This will involve upgrading a 14.9-kilometre section of highway, creating about 120 jobs, with about 2,500 direct and 7,500 indirect jobs expected to be supported in the broader workforce at the peak of work of the project,” Mrs Pavey said.
Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said this was the final main civil contract to be awarded on the Woolgoolga to Ballina section.
“The project team has recently released tenders for the rigid pavement contracts and it is impressive to see the large number of private sector partners coming together to deliver one of the state’s signature infrastructure projects. The Pacific Highway works have created or supported thousands of jobs throughout the region – from construction workers through to local businesses,” Mr Hogan said.
NSW Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis said the contracts awarded to date showed the complexity of the project.
“To date, contracts have been issued to various private sector partners to deliver main civil packages, bridge packages and the two longest bridges on the Woolgoolga to Ballina section – the Clarence River and Richmond River bridges,” Mr Gulaptis said.
The upgrade, which is due to fully open in 2020, is funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
For more information about the project and to keep up to date, visit http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/northern-nsw/woolgoolga-to-ballina/index.html.
Authorised by Kevin Hogan MP, National Party of Australia, Lismore, NSW
