The Pacific Highway will be entirely open throughout NSW by early this evening with access to be restored at the major route’s only closed section near Taree.
Lane and speed restrictions will be in place on the highway between Purfleet and Coopernook as water recedes and crews continue to remove debris from the road.
Motorists will initially have single lane access at this section of the Pacific Highway, with a plan to restore full access over next couple of days. We ask motorists to take extra care while driving through this part of highway, which is an active worksite.
Transport for NSW crews have worked tirelessly to reconnect communities and get freight moving again through this major freight and transport corridor.
Many roads across the North Coast remain impacted by floodwaters. Motorists should never drive through floodwaters – if it is flooded, forget it.
Please check the Live Traffic NSW website at livetraffic.com or download the app to get the most up-to-date information on road closures before heading out.
We thank the community and the freight industry, who we have worked closely with, for their patience while we restore access to roads across the network.
Until the Pacific Highway reopens (between Purfleet and Coopernook near Taree), the detours outlined below remain in place:
- Northbound: use the New England Highway at Beresfield towards Maitland (do not cross Hexham Bridge) and follow until Glen Innes, join the Gwydir Highway at Glen Innes towards Grafton, join Big River Way at South Grafton towards Tyndale, rejoin Pacific Highway at Tyndale. If you need to head south from South Grafton, follow directions to Glenugie.
- Southbound: exit the Pacific Highway at Tyndale, take Big River Way to South Grafton, join the Gwydir Highway at South Grafton towards Glen Innes, join the New England Highway at Glen Innes towards Armidale, join the Pacific Motorway at Beresfield.