Holiday travellers heading south for the October or Christmas holidays should save 25 minutes on their journey between Woolgoolga and Ballina when the Woodburn, Broadwater & Wardell Pacific Highway bypass is completed next month.

Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan and State Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis today announced locals have been given advanced notice of traffic changes that will take effect when the 34-kilometre upgraded section opens between Woodburn and Pimlico in September this year, weather permitting.

(part of the roadworks between Woodburn and Pimlico) 

“The Pacific Highway upgrade continues to deliver for our regional communities, creating more than 3,000 jobs during the peak of the Woolgoolga to Ballina project alone and injecting millions into local economies,” Mr Hogan said.

“This new section forms a large part of the final stretch of the upgrade, which is on track to open to traffic by the end of this year.”

Mr Gulaptis said motorists would be able to use the new interchanges at Woodburn, Broadwater and Coolgardie for safe access to the Pacific Motorway as part of the upcoming opening, which would improve connectivity between neighbouring towns.

“Travellers will be encouraged to visit the newly bypassed towns with large signs to be installed at the approaches to Woodburn, Broadwater and Wardell,” Mr Gulaptis said.

“These signs have already been installed along the Pacific Highway upgrade, most recently at Nambucca and Kempsey, helping support regional communities.”

(the new bridge over the Richmond River looking south at Broadwater) 

The Pacific Highway upgrade is now about 91 per cent complete, and continues to deliver improved travel times for locals, tourists and the freight industry.

To help explain the upcoming change, a community update will be distributed to local residents from this week and made available online at pacifichighway.nsw.gov.au.

Local businesses interested in receiving updates about the upcoming bypass are encouraged to register at [email protected]. 

Electronic message signs will provide wayfinding information and motorists should be aware of traffic management and reduced speed limits though the area while work continues to build the upgrade. Road users are encouraged to visit livetraffic.com and plan ahead to avoid any potential delays.

For more information about the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade, contact the project team on 1800 778 900 (dial 1) or email [email protected].

The Australian and New South Wales governments are jointly funding the $4.945 billion Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway upgrade. With the Australian Government providing $3.76 billion towards the construction, planning and pre-construction. The NSW Government is providing the remaining funding towards the project.