The Pacific Highway upgrade between Woolgoolga and Ballina is now 50 per cent complete, with ongoing works continuing to improve safety and travel times, Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said.
“Importantly, we have already seen a halving of the number of fatalities on the highway,” he said.
“Improved flood measures and more available alternative routes will further help to improve travel reliability and increase safety.
“Reaching halfway is a big milestone for the Pacific Highway upgrade. It is worth noting that 26 kilometres of new highway has already been opened between Woolgoolga and Glenugie with major work underway on the remaining sections of the 155-kilometre corridor.
“There is still a lot more work to go, but we’re getting closer to providing a safer highway from Hexham to the Queensland border. I thank the community for its patience.”
Mr Hogan said a draft directional signage plan, now complete and available to view online, addressed key issues raised by the community.
“We plan to review the renaming of the existing highway and the proposed changes to signage for towns off the highway,” he said.
NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey said that once complete, the upgrade would help save lives and save motorists 25 minutes on their journey.
“More than 35 of the 170 bridges have now been completed, about 50 per cent of more than 8,500 pre-cast concrete pieces used to build the bridges have now been delivered to site and more than 75 per cent of earthwork is complete,” she said.
NSW Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis said paving was the last major construction activity.
“The Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade will be the largest concrete paving job in Australia,” he said.
“It will use about 800,000 cubic metres of concrete for paving, which is enough to fill the Sydney Cricket Ground and will require about 180,000 man hours to complete.”
Paving work has started and the project is expected to be completed in 2020, weather permitting.
The Australian and NSW governments are jointly funding the Pacific Highway – Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade.
More than 80 per cent of the $5.64 billion duplication of the Pacific Highway between Hexham and the Queensland border is complete.
For the latest information on the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade, including a September 2018 project-wide community update and paving fact sheet, visit http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/northern-nsw/woolgoolga-to-ballina/index.html
Some of the major projects Kevin Hogan has delivered for our community include:
- $15 million for expansion of Norco’s Ice-cream factory
- $17 million in grants for nine job-creating projects
- More than 300 new Aged Care beds
- New Headspace in Grafton
- Redevelopment of Oakes Oval.
- New Northern Rivers Regional Art Gallery
- Expanded North Coast Regional Hockey Complex
- Maclean Riverside Precinct
- Casino Amphitheatre
- Southern Cross Lads Safe Driving Course
- Woolgoolga Surf Life Saving Club
- Wollongbar Club House
- Kyogle Aquatic Centre
- Upgrade of Casino Saleyard
- Sealed road to Toonumbar Dam
- Repair of Woodburn to Coraki Road
- Coffs Harbour bypass
- Revitalisation of Kyogle Memorial Institute Hall
- Major upgrade of Culmaran Creek Road
- Upgrade of Harwood Mill and Refinery
- Replacing 20 wooden bridges in Kyogle
- Upgraded Albert Park Baseball Complex
- Upgrade of Casino Hospital Emergency Department
- Six new Trade Training Centres
- Record bulk billing rates
- Record funding for our local schools
- Record health funding
- Woodburn Riverside Precinct
- Casino Drill Hall Precinct
- More In-Home and Residential Aged Care place
