20 Years On: Pacific Highway Upgrade Only Half-Complete

Author: NRMA MotoringDate: 05 November 2009

NRMA Motoring & Services today released a progress report on the Pacific Highway upgrade - almost twenty years since the NSW Coroner recommended the Pacific Highway be upgraded to dual carriageway.

NRMA President Wendy Machin said the report found that the Australian and NSW Governments' target of duplicating the entire length of the Pacific Highway by 2016 was unlikely to be fulfilled.

"While the Australian Government should be congratulated for injecting much needed funds over the past five years, unless there is a further injection of funds, people using Australia's busiest road will have to continue to put up with a sub-standard highway," Ms Machin said.

Currently, only 50 per cent of the route has been upgraded, despite $3.5 billion in State and Commonwealth investment since 1989.

"The report found of the projects for which full data is available almost seven-in-ten Pacific Highway upgrade projects finished late, meaning the Australian and NSW Governments will need to ensure no time is wasted between now and 2016 if the Pacific Highway becomes dual carriageway," Ms Machin said.

"Governments need to recognise the necessity of duplication as increasing numbers of passenger and freight vehicles are now using the Pacific Highway as its condition improves - particularly where the highway serves town centres."

The key findings of the report are:

Overview of the Upgrade

In the 20 years since 1989, over $3.5 billion has been spent on 93 projects covering a total distance of 821 kilometres between Hexham (near Newcastle) and the Queensland border. This length is greater than that of the highway itself as it includes widenings, bypasses and realignments that may be duplicated in a total length.

Progress of the Upgrade to date

a. Of the 821 kilometres of road project lengths identified between Hexham and the Queensland border:

• 410 kilometres (50%) has been upgraded
• 411 kilometres (50%) is still to be upgraded (including projects currently underway).

b. Of the 93 projects:

• 56 projects (59%) have now been completed; and
• 37 projects (41%) are still to be completed (including projects currently underway).

c. "Promised Completion" dates versus "Actual Completion" dates for projects:

• Of the completed projects, it was only possible to compare the original promised completion date with the actual completion date for 25 of these projects. Eight projects were completed early and 17 were completed late.

The 2016 completion deadline

• Of the completed projects, it was only possible to compare the original promised completion date with the actual completion date for 25 of these projects. Eight projects were completed early and 17 were completed late.
• Currently 50% of the route remains to be upgraded. At the present rate of expenditure, government forecasts estimate route duplication could be between 80 and 85% complete by 2014.
• The 2016 completion target is unlikely to be acheived without an injection of accelerated funding.

Impact of the upgrade on crashes and fatalities

• Despite the improvements provided by the upgrade, and better knowledge of accident treatments, crashes have increased due to the growth in Pacific Highway traffic volumes, especially since 2005. While there has been a general trend in fatality reduction, increased traffic volumes and protraction of works has kept crash numbers at a steady level.
• Human suffering, lost productivity and property damage from Pacific Highway crashes represent a significant cost to the community. Accident savings from the improvements are dramatic. Where project completion data is available for analysis, projects that were completed early were valued as saving $4.2 million for the community. However, the cost to the community of delayed upgrades, has been calculated as $67.3 million.
• For the 25 projects where target and actual completion dates were known, the cost in surplus road trauma to the community amounted to $64 million (even when the early completion of 8 projects was taken into account).
• The safety benefits to motorists of completing the upgrade are massive. This also means that if the upgrade is not completed by 2016, the cost in human suffering, lost productivity and property damage will be significant.

Despite the improvements and better knowledge of accident treatment, crashes have been increasing due to the growth in traffic, especially since 2005.

Ms Machin said the NRMA would like to see accelerated funding for the remainder of the Pacific Highway upgrade in an effort to deliver a national road that carries the confidence of Pacific Highway communities.

"The sooner Coroner Waller's recommendations are implemented the more money and lives will be saved."

Read the Report Card on Pacific Highway Upgrade November 2009 (PDF 1.5MB/25 pages)