Annual Report 2006 (main body) - RTA - NSW Government

Highlights during the year included:
Karuah to Bulahdelah Section 1
Construction is well advanced on the
$114 million, 11 kilometre Karuah to
Bulahdelah Section 1 upgrade. Work
began in November 2004 to provide dual
carriageways on a new highway alignment
over much of the length of the project, a
significant improvement to safety. This
project is jointly funded by the NSW and
Australian Governments and should be
completed in late 2006.
Dual carriageways on the Pacific Highway at Bulahdelah provide a new highway alignment that improves safety.
Bundacree Creek to Possum Brush
Work continues on this 9.7 kilometre, $115
million project, 22 kilometres south of Taree.
Work commenced in September 2004 and
includes new bridges over the Wallamba
River and Pipeclay Creek, a major
interchange at Nabiac to provide safer
access across the highway for local traffic,
two pedestrian underpasses beneath the
highway and a pedestrian/cycleway linking
Clarkson Street south over the Wallamba
River Bridge.The project is jointly funded by
the NSW and Australian Governments and
is expected to be complete in late 2006.
Taree to Coopernook
The $59 million Taree to Coopernook
upgrade between the northern end of the
Taree Bypass and the southern end of the
Coopernook Bypass opened to traffic in
August 2005. This project was jointly
funded by the NSW and Australian
Governments, and provides 7.5 kilometres
of four-lane dual carriageway. Traffic was
moved onto the new highway over four
stages beginning in May 2005. Building the
new highway across the soft soils of the
Lansdowne and Manning River floodplains
presented a major engineering challenge.
Large embankments were constructed in
the soft soil areas and vertical drains were
installed under the embankments to help
compress the earth and shorten the
settlement period. Construction of the
road pavement began in March 2004 and
work on the new bridges over Ghinni
Ghinni Creek started soon after.
Coopernook Bypass
This $69 million project, which began in
February 2002, was opened to traffic in
March 2006. A community day was held on
Sunday 19 March 2006 to mark the official
completion of the bypass.The 4.2 kilometre
bypass involved the construction of a
four-lane divided road to the east of
Coopernook, 22 kilometres north of Taree.
The bypass removes heavy vehicles and
highway traffic from Coopernook as well as
improving pedestrian safety and traffic flows
within the town. The bypass also provides
improved access to the Pacific Highway via
staggered T-intersections at Harrington
Road and Coopernook Road, making it
easier and safer for local traffic to access the
Pacific Highway. New twin bridges were
constructed over the Lansdowne River and
Coopernook Creek. In the past the narrow
width of the old Lansdowne River Bridge
caused problems for heavy vehicles passing
in opposite directions.
As part of the project a 31 hectare wetland
was established adjacent to Coopernook
Creek to support local flora and fauna and
encourage mangrove compensatory areas.
This project was fully funded by the NSW
Government.
Lakes Way interchange
The new overpass at the intersection of
the Lakes Way and the Pacific Highway at
Rainbow Flat opened to traffic in July 2005.
The new overpass improves safety for
motorists as well as vehicular access into
and out of the northern entrance to the
Lakes Way.The project was fully funded by
the NSW Government at a cost of
approximately $8.9 million.
Bonville upgrade
The contract for the design, construction and
10 year maintenance of the Bonville upgrade
project was signed in May 2005. The 9.6
kilometre stretch along the Pacific Highway
between Perrys Road and Lyons Road south
of Coffs Harbour will be upgraded to dual
carriageway.The project will link the Raleigh
Deviation in the south with the completed
Lyons Road to Englands Road section in the
north. When finished, the Bonville upgrade
will complete 17.5 kilometres of dual
carriageway between Coffs Harbour and
Urunga. The project is jointly funded by the
NSW and Australian Governments.
Ballina Bypass
Tenders were invited in May 2006 for the
preconstruction earthworks on this project
and a contract is expected to be awarded in
August 2006. It will take six to seven years
before the bypass can be completed because
22 POSITIVE ECONOMIC OUTCOMES