About the Project
The Australian and NSW Governments are delivering the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace project to ease congestion, improve traffic flow and reduce traffic volumes on the surrounding road network.
The M1 Pacific Motorway extension to the Pacific Highway at Raymond Terrace is a critical piece of national transport infrastructure, completing a major missing link on the east coast corridor between Sydney and Brisbane. Planning for the project began in 2004, supported by extensive investigations and community consultation. Feedback received over time helped shape the final design and improve connections to the surrounding road network while minimising environmental impacts.
Major construction started in 2023, and work is now well advanced across the full 15 kilometre alignment, with several bridges and interchanges already open to traffic.
Key features
The project includes:
15 kilometres of dual carriageway motorway with two lanes in each direction
four new interchanges at Black Hill, Tarro, Tomago and Raymond Terrace
a 2.6kilometre viaduct over the Hunter River and floodplain, the Main North Rail Line and the New England Highway
new and upgraded bridges and local road connections.
The Hexham Straight Widening project has been completed, allowing motorists to travel on three lanes in each direction along the full six-kilometre stretch. The speed limit has been returned to 80 kilometres per hour, significantly boosting traffic flow through one of the region’s busiest corridors.
The project, which was completed on Friday, 27 February 2026, is part of the M1 extension to Raymond Terrace and Hexham Straight Widening, a major transport infrastructure commitment in the Hunter region.
The Commonwealth contributed more than $1.79 billion, with the NSW Government contributing $448 million.
The upgrades include new twin bridges over Ironbark Creek, modernised traffic lights, a new U-turn facility, and improved pedestrian crossings and bus stops. These improvements aim to deliver more reliable travel times for freight and enhance safety for all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians.
Project Benefits
The NSW and Australian Governments are committed to completing the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace project to ease congestion, improve traffic flow and reduce traffic volumes on the surrounding road network. The extension will transform the way people move to and from the Hunter and will improve travel times for commuters travelling from Sydney to Brisbane, helping motorists to save between 7- and 9-minutes travel time during peak periods on opening.
Project need
The road network in the project area currently experiences high traffic demand, with demand expected to increase as populations within the Hunter and Newcastle area grow. The project will provide greater capacity on the network and provide increased connectivity for these rapidly growing regions and better access for local traffic.
The existing road network is a critical location in the road corridor from Sydney to Brisbane. Due to its geographical location, the existing transport hubs of the Port of Newcastle and RAAF Base Williamtown/Newcastle Airport, and the combined influence of the broader Hunter Region, the road network in this area plays an important role in the movement of freight across NSW and Australia.
There are two remaining locations on the east coast corridor linking Sydney to Brisbane, where the route is an urban road with traffic lights - at Coffs Harbour and at Black Hill, Hexham, Tomago and Heatherbrae. The project, together with Coffs Harbour bypass, will provide the remaining major upgrades to complete a free-flowing dual carriageway route between Sydney and Brisbane.
Once complete, the extension will remove up to 25,000 vehicles a day away from key congestion and merge points along this corridor and will help keep freight, commuters and tourists moving.