M1 extension set to open a year earlier than planned

THE M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace is now expected to open to traffic in late 2026, more than a year earlier than originally planned.

The accelerated timeline comes as the project reaches a major milestone, with the northern section, the Heatherbrae Bypass, now complete.

The M1 Pacific Motorway extension and Hexham Straight widening projects are being funded jointly with a total investment of $2.24 billion – $1.792 billion provided by the Federal Government and $448 million from the NSW Government.

Significant progress has been made on the ground, including the completion of five kilometres of new motorway forming the Heatherbrae Bypass.

As part of the northern section, the Raymond Terrace interchange, the Masonite Road overpass and a major bridge crossing at Windeyers Creek have also all been completed.

Completion of the Heatherbrae Bypass means this section of the M1 extension is ready to go, and will open as soon as work on the 10-kilometre southern section from Black Hill to Tomago is complete, later this year.

“Completion of the Heatherbrae section of this project means we are well and truly past the halfway mark, with all work set to be completed by the end of the year,” said Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King.

“The school holiday traffic we’re seeing on the existing highway right now is a great reminder as to why this project is vital.

“Nearly 25,000 vehicles use this road on a normal day, with that number swelling during the holiday breaks.”

Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson said it is incredibly rewarding to see the bypass take shape.

“Seeing it power ahead of schedule is a testament to the hard work behind the scenes – and it means the Hunter will benefit from this vital infrastructure sooner,” she said.