Traffic switches pave the way for final stages of M1 extension

A SERIES of traffic changes or “switches” will take place over the next few months, paving the way for the final stages of the M1 to Raymond Terrace project between Black Hill and Tomago.

The switches, which move traffic onto newly-constructed sections of road, allow construction teams to begin work in areas that are currently under traffic.

There are three significant traffic switches between August and September this year.

The first, which occurs at the beginning of August, will see traffic from the existing northbound lane of the Pacific Highway at Tomago move onto the new road and bridge opposite Tomago Road.
This section of road forms part of the permanent on-ramp for the Tomago interchange.

Six to eight weeks later, southbound traffic will also be moved to the west, onto new pavement under a new bridge near Old Punt Road.

Following on from this, at the southbound M1 Pacific Motorway, traffic from Beresfield will be moved onto a new section of the road, including a new bridge, to allow works on the Black Hill interchange to progress.

This will be shortly followed by another shift, where westbound traffic on the New England Highway will be diverted beneath a bridge currently under construction at Tarro, which will ultimately form part of the Tarro interchange.

The $2.1 billion M1 to Raymond Terrace project is set to remove up to 25,000 vehicles from the roads per day and cut travel times by seven to nine minutes in peak periods when the project opens in 2028.

Meryl Swanson, Federal Member for Paterson, “This is an intergenerational project that will ease congestion, improve safety, and boost growth.

“These traffic changes are a clear sign that the M1 Extension is becoming a reality,” she said.

“They’re making way for the major infrastructure our region has needed for decades.”