NICK OF TIME: How much time will be saved on new Pac H’way?

We detail how much time each stage of the recent upgrades of the Pacific Highway will take time off the trip south

Coffs Harbour Bypass

WHEN the duplication of the Pacific Highway north of Newcastle began in 1996, the finish date of 2020 seemed a long way off and far from certain.

But with 81 per cent of the highway upgrade now complete, and further announcements that Coffs Harbour is to join South Grafton, Ulmarra, Woodburn, Broadwater, Wardell, Ballina and Brunswick Heads in being bypassed, how much time can we expect to save on the trip south to Newcastle and Sydney?

 

The new Woodburn, Broadwater and Wardell Bypass

 

When the Hexham to Queensland border duplication is completed, hopefully, by the end of this year, the upgraded highway will take around 2.5 hours less to travel.

The Coffs Harbour bypass is going ahead and a separate completion date for the work will be given

Here's the break down on work on each section and how much travel will be saved when finished.

Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour:

The 145 kilometre upgrade between Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour was completed and opened to traffic in June 2018.

It included 147 bridges, 17 interchanges and seven rest stops.

It reduced travel time by 32 minutes.

Coffs Harbour bypass:

This 14km project is to be jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments.

Anyone who has travelled through the frustrating bottle neck at Coffs will not miss the 12 sets of traffic lights that will left behind when this bypass opens.

It will reduce travel time by 11 minutes.

Woolgoolga to Ballina:

So far this stretch is 90 per cent completed. There are 131km open to traffic and 25km still to go.

When it's finished it will cut 25 minutes off travel time.