Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan and State Member for the Clarence Chris Gulaptis today announced two new overpass bridges have opened to traffic between Tyndale and Maclean as part of the Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway upgrade.
Mr Hogan said the completion of the Byrons Lane and McIntyres Lane overpasses create important local road connections providing the community with safe and reliable access to cross the upgraded highway.
“Opening these two overpasses continues a busy period of progress for the upgrade with nine overpasses opening to traffic in the past six months,” he said.
“There are 170 bridges being built for the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade and the project team has completed or are currently building 93 percent of these.”
Mr Gulatptis said work is expected to start on the remaining bridges in the coming months.
“For some bridges, highway traffic needs to be moved onto new carriageway before work can start. These traffic changes will allow work to start on upgrading the existing highway while ensuring traffic continues to flow,” he said.
“The McIntyres Lane and Byrons Lane overpasses each have two lanes and provide permanent local access for motorists crossing the highway.
“Further north, two more overpasses are expected to be completed in the coming months, weather permitting. Overpasses at Woodburn-Evans Head Road, Woodburn and Wardell Road, Wardell are well progressed and we will update the community when we are preparing to open them to traffic.”
Of the 155 kilometre Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade, Roads and Maritime Services has already opened 26 kilometres, including 15 bridges, between Woolgoolga and Glenugie.
The Australian and NSW governments are jointly funding the $4.95 billion Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway upgrade on an 80:20 basis. The upgrade will open to traffic by 2020, weather permitting.
