Karuah to Bulahdelah: Pacific Highway upgrading: review of environmental factors

As part of the major upgrading strategy, the RTA has completed the concept design for the 36.75 km section of the Pacific Highway between the townships of Karuah and Bulahdelah. The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) has been prepared to assess the impacts of upgrading this section of the Pacific Highway as identified in the concept plans. The 36.75 km route length of the proposed highway upgrading is shown in Figure 1.1. The Pacific Highway would be converted to a two lane dual carriageway for the section 57.85 km to 94.60 km north of Newcastle. This would require the construction of an entirely new carriageway which would predominantly form the southbound carriageway. The existing road would be converted from its present two lane, two way format to a two lane single carriageway. Short sections of the new road would require entirely new sections of dual carriageway due to the inability of the present road design to provide safe driving conditions in these areas. Within the existing sections of road, the pavement would be rehabilitated where necessary to achieve acceptable pavement life and riding condition. Other associated road improvements include the construction of eight major local access intersections at North Arm Cove, Ayers Rock Roadhouse, Tea Gardens Road, Viney Creek Road West, Viney Creek Road East (Old Tea Gardens Road), Nerong, Myall River Road and Booral Road. There would also be ten u-turn facilities along the route and rest areas catering for both cars and trucks.