A safety upgrade at the M1 Pacific Motorway Ourimbah Interchange is nearing completion, with the recent installation of new traffic lights.
The New South Wales Government provided $5.4 million from its Network Efficiency Program to provide a range of safety improvements at the site.
The new traffic lights at the western roundabout will be switched on at night on Wednesday 7 February between 8pm and 4am.
There is still a little bit of work left to do including concrete grooving – a method to reduce noise coming from the road surface – and some minor finishing works.
Remaining work is scheduled for early March, weather permitting.
New South Wales Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, said that this is a huge milestone for the project and will benefit about 30,000 motorists who use the interchange daily to travel to, from and around the Central Coast.
“Once completed, this upgrade will help ensure all road users experience the safest and smoothest journeys possible,” Ms Aitchison said.
New South Wales Minister for the Central Coast, David Harris, said that the State Government is committed to delivering better and safer roads on the Central Coast.
“The Ourimbah interchange is one of the busiest on the coast and it’s great to reach this key milestone in the major upgrade,” Mr Harris said.
“We are committed to working with all levels of government to improve the quality of roads on the coast and this is a great step in the right direction.”
New South Wales Member for The Entrance, David Mehan, said that the upgrade has involved widening the southbound and northbound exit ramps, line marking, asphalting, installing safety barriers, vegetation removal, utility and pavement drainage adjustments, and the installation of traffic signals at the western roundabout.
“The project also provided a welcome boost to the local economy by supporting up to 50 direct and indirect jobs during construction.”
