This has to be one of the most complex and constrained road projects in NSW history. I had a play it at a slower speed to take in all the goings on. Cheers mate 🫡
Looks a pretty complex project with several tunnels to be built - all to save 11 minutes in travel. I suppose the new bypass will save possible road deaths and traffic congestion. Thanks BJD for video.
they were going to do cuttings to save time and cost but the community did not want that. its the trade offs you make when building generational infrastructure like this.
Love Coffs, doubt I would ever use the By-pass. In the meantime, the Gympie( Qld) bypass has opened, and I used that as I have waited since 1967 to by-pass that place. Thanks for the update...... much appreciated.
Love the way everyone assumes the M1 extension and Coffs bypass are the only two breaks in a motorway from Sydney to Brisbane . Another , mostly forgotten one, is Coolongolook. The highway goes right through the middle of town with at grade pull offs to shops etc
I've never assumed this. Myself and all my friends have always stated that when the Hexam AND Coffs bypass are done there won't be a single "traffic light" between Newcastle and Gold Cost. The reason the Coolongolook break gets forgotten is cos you still don't technically have to stop, there is no traffic light.
@@colinevans3285I agree with you , but politicians are fond of exaggerating the quality of the road . They will tout the fact of ‘no traffic lights from Colac to Curra (2100kms) but not that it doesn’t have numerous at grade connections to driveways roads and buildings or speed limits < 80km/hr - a specific requirement of Interstates in the USA for example
Actually, imho it’s not. In fact what should have happened 20 or more years ago was to construct a “ real by-pass”, by diverting the highway from the South Sawtell access road to Coramba and then follow the rail line to South Grafton. It should have been clear to anyone who lived in Coffs, Sawtell or Wookgoolga that the existing Pacfic Hwy was in sufficient in 2000.
This bypass and the the M! to Pacific Hwy link at Raymond Terrace are the 2 last sections of the Pacific Hiwy to be completed they will really sort out 2 holiday season bottlenecks. Getting from the end of the M! to Hexham and driving through Coffs Harbour is not that great when towing a van these upgradse should save a lot of stop starts and fuel wasting.
It's October 2024 at the moment, is the by pass ready for the traffic to use ?. I don't know how much time is cut from QLD on the Sunshine Coast to Taree now that there's been more work done. The last time i drove it was 11 hours. I'm thinking of driving down to Taree in December ?. I haven't been able to go visit my parents in 5 years. How's the time and conditions going between the border and Taree then , does anyone know ?. Thanks.
these are the 2 most complex projects and were always going to be done last. what is interesting is the $2.2bn (1996) cost for the initial highway upgrade up and down the coast while this project alone will cost that much in 2024.
The link from the M1 to Raymond Terrace took so long because successive governments never allocated the funding for it to go ahead. There were also issues in Coffs about how they were going to do it and getting the sign off from the locals. They have been going ahead in leaps and bounds since they started on the Hexham link.. We travel that road all the time and I,m surprised with just how much plant and equipment they have working on it.
Apply for an EV fast charging unit to be installed near the town’s cafes. Put a sign on the highway. Guaranteed the town will get increased traffic over time.
@@markboscawen8330 have very big signs already. Conservative estimation of one car in every 100 is an EV so that wouldn’t make a difference even without a bypass
@@Duan-m6n a segment that will grow over time. Obviously what your town has to offer isn’t attracting current ICE drivers in. Not trying anything new will keep yield ing the same result. Opportunities are out there to tap an emerging market.
@@markboscawen8330 there aren’t many ice cars in the country. Distances to vast. This town was where St Mary MacKillop started the St Joseph schools and where the Chinese left their mark during gold rush in Ballarat
@@Duan-m6n if no chargers within cooee, all the more reason for the town to see if a subsidy to get one is available. As for EV sales, don’t believe all the click bait. Sales to end of September are 6% up on last year. Whilst not as high as last years 8% growth the segment is still growing strongly. EVs make-up about 2% of all vehicles on the road at the moment. But that % is steadily increasing. As will the need for charging points. Even in regional SA.
You do not know the history of this project then, the main road going through Coffs would constantly get congested eith traffic, especially during school holidays when people are moving north to Queensland where most of the major tourism attractions are. Coffs Harbour isn't just a small town that will die out either, it is one of the largest towns in the state and already has enough of a tourism presence so that enough people will stop by on their way through anyway. As for the people not stopping it would save them from getting mixed in with the local traffic causing major traffic and it will also save a lot of time as there are 13 or so traffic lights being bypassed.
Amazing piece of Engineering. Thanks for posting.
It’s great
Thanks Jay for all of the updates you do.
No problem
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers
This has to be one of the most complex and constrained road projects in NSW history. I had a play it at a slower speed to take in all the goings on. Cheers mate 🫡
Yes I agree
Very informative video, thanks for sharing JD.
No Worries
VERY informative JD
GOOD JOB 👍
Cheers
How does this effect the titles of the small acreages, they used to have a beautiful quiet and private valley.
Looking forward to the day it’s finished , speedy trip to the Goldy. The Coff’s residents can finally have peace again
Local business will lose with this bypass! Prime land taken at bottom dollar value= joke
Looks a pretty complex project with several tunnels to be built - all to save 11 minutes in travel. I suppose the new bypass will save possible road deaths and traffic congestion. Thanks BJD for video.
it's not the road it's the idiots driver's just 11 minutes wow then all the town will suffer
they were going to do cuttings to save time and cost but the community did not want that. its the trade offs you make when building generational infrastructure like this.
Good to hear that
If you have had to go through Coffs in the Christmas slow grind ,you would know that it is needed.
@@michaelcollins8330 Not just at Christmas!
Love Coffs, doubt I would ever use the By-pass. In the meantime, the Gympie( Qld) bypass has opened, and I used that as I have waited since 1967 to by-pass that place.
Thanks for the update...... much appreciated.
You will love Coffs more with less traffic ;)
Great video mate, any chance you could stop off at Hexham on the way home?
Yeah definitely
@@BigJayDogAdventures And maybe the Newcastle Inner City Bypass :) ... cause your videos are awesome!!
Any chance you can do the M6 in Sydney?
Love the way everyone assumes the M1 extension and Coffs bypass are the only two breaks in a motorway from Sydney to Brisbane . Another , mostly forgotten one, is Coolongolook. The highway goes right through the middle of town with at grade pull offs to shops etc
Yeah and its upgrade to 4 lanes happened when other towns were being bypassed. I wonder who had a say?
I've never assumed this. Myself and all my friends have always stated that when the Hexam AND Coffs bypass are done there won't be a single "traffic light" between Newcastle and Gold Cost. The reason the Coolongolook break gets forgotten is cos you still don't technically have to stop, there is no traffic light.
Because Coolongolook isn't the Nightmare of Hexam or Coffs come school hols
@@colinevans3285I agree with you , but politicians are fond of exaggerating the quality of the road . They will tout the fact of ‘no traffic lights from Colac to Curra (2100kms) but not that it doesn’t have numerous at grade connections to driveways roads and buildings or speed limits < 80km/hr - a specific requirement of Interstates in the USA for example
Very impressive and long over due like a lot of bottle necks around our nation.
Progress is looking great. Would you be able to do a vid covering the Raymond Terrace bypass?
Just finished, check around 3:30pm cheers
The engineering is enormous especially to allow for rain
Yes that’s very true
Actually, imho it’s not. In fact what should have happened 20 or more years ago was to construct a “ real by-pass”, by diverting the highway from the South Sawtell access road to Coramba and then follow the rail line to South Grafton. It should have been clear to anyone who lived in Coffs, Sawtell or Wookgoolga that the existing Pacfic Hwy was in sufficient in 2000.
This bypass and the the M! to Pacific Hwy link at Raymond Terrace are the 2 last sections of the Pacific Hiwy to be completed they will really sort out 2 holiday season bottlenecks. Getting from the end of the M! to Hexham and driving through Coffs Harbour is not that great when towing a van these upgradse should save a lot of stop starts and fuel wasting.
Totally makes sense
Watch land prices go up.
It's October 2024 at the moment, is the by pass ready for the traffic to use ?. I don't know how much time is cut from QLD on the Sunshine Coast to Taree now that there's been more work done. The last time i drove it was 11 hours. I'm thinking of driving down to Taree in December ?. I haven't been able to go visit my parents in 5 years. How's the time and conditions going between the border and Taree then , does anyone know ?. Thanks.
My favourite part is how they built the entire Pacific Highway in like 20 years but then take about 10 to bypass Coffs Harbour and Beresfield
Not easy landscape in that area.
these are the 2 most complex projects and were always going to be done last. what is interesting is the $2.2bn (1996) cost for the initial highway upgrade up and down the coast while this project alone will cost that much in 2024.
The link from the M1 to Raymond Terrace took so long because successive governments never allocated the funding for it to go ahead. There were also issues in Coffs about how they were going to do it and getting the sign off from the locals. They have been going ahead in leaps and bounds since they started on the Hexham link.. We travel that road all the time and I,m surprised with just how much plant and equipment they have working on it.
Where the mountains meet the sea.
@@deanpd3402it took convicts 6 months to build a road across the far more difficult blue mountains.
Over sixty years late!
Built a $30m bypass around my country town of 1200 pax. Town died. People didn’t even want but what would they know
Apply for an EV fast charging unit to be installed near the town’s cafes. Put a sign on the highway. Guaranteed the town will get increased traffic over time.
@@markboscawen8330 have very big signs already. Conservative estimation of one car in every 100 is an EV so that wouldn’t make a difference even without a bypass
@@Duan-m6n a segment that will grow over time. Obviously what your town has to offer isn’t attracting current ICE drivers in. Not trying anything new will keep yield ing the same result. Opportunities are out there to tap an emerging market.
@@markboscawen8330 there aren’t many ice cars in the country. Distances to vast. This town was where St Mary MacKillop started the St Joseph schools and where the Chinese left their mark during gold rush in Ballarat
@@Duan-m6n if no chargers within cooee, all the more reason for the town to see if a subsidy to get one is available.
As for EV sales, don’t believe all the click bait. Sales to end of September are 6% up on last year. Whilst not as high as last years 8% growth the segment is still growing strongly.
EVs make-up about 2% of all vehicles on the road at the moment. But that % is steadily increasing. As will the need for charging points. Even in regional SA.
plus people might loose some of there land or bush
Great to bad its about 30 years to late .
Looks just like America so sad Australia
WTF?
You do not know the history of this project then, the main road going through Coffs would constantly get congested eith traffic, especially during school holidays when people are moving north to Queensland where most of the major tourism attractions are. Coffs Harbour isn't just a small town that will die out either, it is one of the largest towns in the state and already has enough of a tourism presence so that enough people will stop by on their way through anyway. As for the people not stopping it would save them from getting mixed in with the local traffic causing major traffic and it will also save a lot of time as there are 13 or so traffic lights being bypassed.
And Slap a Toll on while you're at it???