Sunday 22 January 2012

Pacific Highway upgrade at Urunga to start in 2013

Australian Road Assessment Program
highway network based on 2009 data


Construction of a by-pass of Urunga is now expected to commence early next year.
Following negotiations between the Australian and NSW Governments a bypass of Urunga is a step closer, with construction companies interested in designing and upgrading the Urunga to Nambucca Heads section of the Pacific Highway having until February 23 to register their details with the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS).
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese said this 22 kilometre section is part of the larger 42 kilometre Urunga to Warrell Creek project and is another important step in upgrading the Pacific Highway between Port Macquarie and Raleigh.
“Once completed in 2016, the Urunga to Nambucca Heads upgrade will deliver safer, smoother driving conditions for the 15,000 motorists and truck drivers who use this section of the Pacific Highway each and every day,” said Mr Albanese.
The upgrade of the Urunga to Nambucca Heads section had been agreed between Ministers Albanese and Gay before they became aware of a news story on the issue which aired on Channel 9 last week…….





2 comments:

Neal said...

This statement was issued near 5 years ago and would in fact have commenced last year in October only for Albanese and his gang miss-direction the funding to Hopshottes electorate ,the Oxley Highway which would not handle even 1.% the traffic daily seen on the Pacific.

clarencegirl said...

As usual, Neal added two and two and came up with fifty-five.

"Oxley Highway Upgrade
The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) is constructing a six kilometre, $158 million upgrade of the Oxley Highway between Wrights Road and the Pacific Highway at Port Macquarie. The project is due to be completed by the end of 2011, weather permitting. This project is fully funded by the NSW Government....
The construction contract for the Oxley Highway upgrade was awarded to BMD Constructions in November 2009."
[http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadprojects/projects/north_eastern_region/oxley_hwy/documents/community_updates/oxley_highway_community_update_april_2011.pdf]

"The trouble for Mr Gay and Mr Fraser appears to be that it was their state government that paid for the funding of the Oxley Highway upgrade.
A check of the state government's Roads and Maritime Services website shows that the NSW government claims the $158 million project near Port Macquarie is funded by the NSW government."
[Coffs Coast Advocate 20 January 2012]

Additionally, as the Oxley Highway crosses the Pacific Highway near Port Macquarie it coul be said to handle a much higher traffic percentage than Neal gives credit for.