Coffs Harbour bypass Project Update June 2025
Tunnelling is progressing well, with major breakthroughs marking significant milestones in the project. Noise wall construction is now underway to help reduce traffic noise for nearby residents. New local road names are also being introduced, helping to connect communities and support the future of local transport.
Read more in our June 2025 project update (PDF 3.77MB).
Traffic changes taking place on the Pacific Highway and local roads for the Coffs Harbour bypass
As part of major construction, a number of temporary and permanent traffic changes will occur on the Pacific Highway and local roads for the Coffs Harbour bypass.
Korora
The project team is temporarily moving the Pacific Highway northbound traffic onto new lanes between Charlesworth Bay Road and Campbell Close, Korora.
Northbound traffic will be switched onto a newly built service road to the west of the current highway in two stages. These temporary arrangements are in place, so the project start construction on the current highway northbound lanes and continue to build the new Korora Hill Interchange.
This change means there will also be permanent turning restrictions at the intersections of the highway and local roads in Korora. Motorists will need to plan their journeys and potentially allow more travel time.
Read the notification and use our journey planner to check out what your new travel route will be.
Boambee
Temporary and permanent traffic changes will also take place along the Pacific Highway and local roads between the Sawtell Interchange and at the new Englands Road Interchange.
These changes will be carried out in 3 stages being:
- Pacific Highway northbound traffic will be temporarily moved onto a new service road to the west of the current highway.
- Englands Road and Isles Drive will be permanently connected to the new Englands Road Interchange
- Pacific Highway southbound traffic will be moved onto the current highway northbound lanes.
Learn more in the community notification or watch the video.
Englands Rd, Southern Interchange traffic switch
Use the journey planner to check out what your new travel route will be.
Photobook – April 2025
The April 2025 photo book (PDF 10.07MB) for the Coffs Harbour bypass showcases key construction milestones, including earthworks, bridge building, and tunnelling activities.
All three Coffs Harbour bypass tunnels in construction
The Coffs Harbour bypass is celebrating the breakthrough of the second of its three tunnels.
The project team broke through the heading (top section) in one of the tubes of the about 320-metre-long Shephards Lane Tunnel on 31 March 2025. The second tube breakthrough is expected in about a week. The team will now start controlled blasting the bench (floor) of the tunnel tubes.
All three tunnels will be under construction in April with 24/7 excavations starting in the 160-metre-long Robert Hill Tunnel in coming weeks.
Gatelys Road Tunnel, which is about 410 metres long, is the furthest progressed of the tunnels with the tubes being sprayed with waterproof lining.
On the bypass, the waterproofing covers the entire tunnel tube ceiling and sides.
The proofing layer is installed to increase the lifespan of the tunnel and stop any water making its way onto the road. This provides a much safer journey for road users travelling through the tunnels.
While waterproofing has started in Gatelys Road Tunnel, it will also be carried out in the two other tunnels with it expected to be completed before the end of 2025.
Once this layer is in place, we spray the last covering of shotcrete, with paving, drainage and the mechanical and electrical fit out to follow.
At a glance
The waterproofing statistics for all three tunnels are:
- About 52,000m2 of surface to be sprayed in two layers
- About 320,000kg of the waterproofing product will be used to achieve this lining.
- A single team of waterproof (typically 3 x labourers) are capable of waterproofing the equivalent of 400 – 700m2 of tunnel in a shift which varies due to climatic conditions etc encountered on site.
Precinct fact sheets
Discover key features, explore project benefits and view our latest artist impressions with our precinct fact sheets:
- Englands Road Interchange to Sawtell Road Interchange precinct fact sheet
- Roberts Hill Tunnel to Englands Road Interchange precinct fact sheet
- Coramba Road Interchange to Roberts Hill tunnel precinct fact sheet
- Shephards Lane Tunnel to Coramba Road Interchange precinct fact sheet (PDF 3.36MB)
- Gately's Road Tunnel to Shephards Lane Tunnel precinct fact sheet (PDF 3.36MB)
- Korora Hill Interchange to Gately's Road Tunnel precinct fact sheet
- Sapphire Beach Interchange to Korora Hill Interchange precinct fact sheet
Latest plans
Final Place Design and Landscape Plan now available
The Coffs Harbour bypass has released the final Place Design and Landscape Plan detailing the completed bypass's urban, architectural, and landscape design proposals.
Read them here:
Community consultation on the draft plan occurred in December 2023. A Consultation Summary Report has been prepared to summarise and respond to the feedback received. Thank you to everyone who submitted.
Manage your journey
We understand traffic changes are disruptive for road users and appreciate your patience during the construction of the Coffs Harbour bypass.
Conditions are continuing to change in the area, so we are asking motorists to please ACT:
- Be Aware: Keep up to date with the project and the latest traffic changes.
- Be Cautious: Follow signage, drive to the conditions, and follow the direction of traffic control.
- Allow more Time: Access arrangements will continue to change. Plan for minor delays and be patient on the road.
Please subscribe to our email list to keep informed about traffic changes and help you plan your journey.
Resources
You can access key resources for the Coffs Harbour bypass that provide detailed information on our construction activities and procedures. This includes construction updates, factsheets, environment reports, and other supporting documents.
Each of them has been produced to help inform how we are building the bypass with safety, environment, and community in mind.
Resource library
About the Coffs Harbour bypass
The 14km Coffs Harbour bypass will take vehicles west of the urban area, from Englands Road in the south to Sapphire in the north.
The project is part of the Pacific Highway upgrade, funded by the Australian and NSW governments.
For more information and documentation for the approvals of the Coffs Harbour bypass visit the NSW Planning Portal.
The existing highway through Coffs Harbour forms part of the Sydney - Brisbane freight corridor and carries between 30,000 and 35,000 vehicles per day (2016).
Road users need to navigate a 12km low speed arterial road with 12 sets of traffic signals, a major roundabout and 26 other intersections. This means the area experiences:
- A motorist, cyclist and pedestrian casualty rate more than three times higher than expected of a road of this class.
- Increased travel time and inefficient on-road freight operation.
- Loss of economic development opportunities.
- A decrease in the amenity of Coffs Harbour CBD.
By providing a bypass of Coffs Harbour consistent with the current standards of the Pacific Highway upgrade program, the project addresses declining transport efficiency, urban congestion and road safety issues.
It will support regional development and provide:
- Safer, more consistent and reliable travel.
- Reduced travel times with improved freight transport efficiency to better. access towns and villages on the north coast.
- Improved amenity for local communities.
- A more reliable route with improved flood tolerance.
Image
A static map of the Coffs Harbour Bypass. The Bypass starts at the bottom left of the map in Boambee, and continues north through North Boambee Valley and Red Hill. It then heads north-east through Korora, Korora Basin, then concludes at Sapphire Beach at the top right of the map. You can view further information such as articles/resources on project updates, work notifications, Environment and community information on the resources page.
Gallery
Coffs Harbour bypass project contact
For further information about this project, contact or visit us at:
Email: community@CHBteam.com.au
Phone: 1800 550 621
Mail: P.O. Box 565, Toormina, NSW 2452