The preferred route

The preferred route is represented by a corridor approximately 150 metres wide to locate the alignment for the Oxley Highway to Kempsey upgrade. The preferred route chosen provides the best overall balance between functional, ecological, heritage, social and economic considerations, and provides for staging opportunities.

Community comments on the preferred route closed on Friday 13 October 2006.

Click here to download a PDF map of the preferred route (2.3MB pdf).

Features of the preferred route

Section A (orange option)
Of the two options in section A, the orange option was selected for the following key advantages:

Avoids proposed marine precinct adjacent to Dennis Bridge, upstream of the existing crossing.
Traffic delays would be minimised during construction where this option deviates from the existing highway.
The existing highway between Fernbank Creek and Telegraph Point will be retained as a local access road.

Section B (combined orange and refined orange options)
Of the four options in section B, the orange and refined orange options were selected for the following key advantages:

Has the least overall noise impact on communities.
Bypasses Telegraph Point township.
Has less impact on residential areas than the blue and green options.
Has less impact on SEPP 14 (State Environmental Planning Policy 14) wetlands than the purple option.
Has less impact on endangered ecological communities than the purple option.

In the Bill Hill Road area, the final alignment is subject to further investigations to minimise environmental impact to Cairncross State Forest and agricultural properties.

Section C (blue option)
Of the two options in section C, the blue option was selected for the following key advantages:

Has a minor impact on the Cooperabung Creek Nature Reserve and Ballengarra State Forest.
Involves a duplication of the existing highway.
Reduces the grade through Cooperabung Range.
Northbound carriageway will be constructed clear of the southbound carriageway, which minimises construction delays.

Section D (blue option)
Of the two options in section D, the blue option was selected for the following key advantages:

Has less intrusion on the Maria River State Forest, than the green option.
Existing accesses to the highway will be modified to improve safety.
Realignment to the east of the existing highway through Maria River State Forest improving safety.

Further investigations will be undertaken on the final location and design of the proposed interchanges at Fernbank Creek, Blackmans Point Road and Haydons Wharf Road. A local road strategy between the Maria River and the proposed interchange south of Kempsey (part of the Kempsey to Eungai Pacific Highway upgrade project) will also be undertaken.

Interactive preferred route map

An interactive map has been developed to show more detailed information about the location of the preferred route.

Click here to download and view the PDF version of the overall interactive map. Once you have downloaded the interactive map, click on the grid(s) which correspond to your area(s) of interest.

Click here to view the Oxley Highway to Kempsey August 2006 community update (513KB pdf).

Click here to view the Oxley Highway to Kempsey preferred route report.