Federal Government approves $282.3 million to complete planning and pre-construction activities along 155km Woolgoolga to Ballina section of Pacific Highway
June 12, 2013
The Federal Government has approved a further $282.3 million to complete the necessary planning and pre-construction activities along the 155km Woolgoolga to Ballina section of the Pacific Highway.
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese says the package of preparatory works has been fast-tracked with the aim of getting construction workers and their equipment onsite upgrading the stretch of highway as soon as possible.
“Once underway, this multi-billion project will re-route the highway to the east of Grafton, build 10 major interchanges, erect new bridges across the Clarence and Richmond rivers as well as install strategically located wildlife crossings,” Albanese says.
Page MP Janelle Saffin says the planning work will involve surveying and terrain modelling the route and treating soft soil sites at Harwood, south of Woodburn, north of Broadwater and between Tyndale and Maclean.
“The money will also be used to progress the detailed planning work, complete the necessary land acquisitions and obtain the required environmental approvals,” Saffin says.
“In addition, a 2km section of the highway connecting to the southern end of the new Ballina Bypass will be duplicated and new bridges over Duck and Emigrant creeks erected.”
The NSW Government agreed to match the federal contribution to the package of planning works dollar-for-dollar, taking the total funding available to $564.6 million.
