Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams has met with the Minister for Roads, the Hon Melinda Pavey to discuss the future upgrading of the Harrington/Coopernook Road intersection with the Pacific Highway.
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“I arranged the meeting with Minister Pavey after receiving a petition signed by local residents requesting that works to be carried out at the intersection,” Mrs Williams said.
“The petition attracted over 500 signatures and I have now tabled it in Parliament for a formal response from the Minister.
“I fully understand the concerns that people have raised and acknowledge their frustration that this intersection was not upgraded when the original duplication was undertaken.
“A preliminary concept design for the grade separated overpass at Harrington was completed as part of the Coopernook Bypass project which opened to traffic in 2006.
“The priority now is to duplicate the existing two lane sections of the Pacific Highway with an expectation that it will be open to traffic by 2020.
“A post duplication corridor strategy for the Pacific Highway is currently being developed which will identify priorities for future building projects along the full length of the corridor.
“Soft soil treatment work has been completed at the Harrington/Coopernook to prepare the ground so that an upgrade can commence as soon as possible once funding becomes available.
“Although the current focus for highway upgrading is to complete the full four lane divided highway from Hexham to the Queensland border, the Government does recognise there will be a need to continue to upgrade the Pacific Highway after this major work is completed.
“However, I can assure residents the Roads and Maritime Service continues to monitor traffic and safety conditions at a number of intersections, including at Harrington Road, to match the timing of the work to the safety need.
“I am fully committed to making sure that once the full duplication of the highway is completed that work will be prioritised at the Harrington/Coopernook interchange,” Mrs Williams said.