Thiess and a joint venture between Abigroup and Baulderstone have been shortlisted to design and build the Oxley Highway to Kundabung Pacific Highway upgrade in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

This move, which is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments, accelerates the construction of the four-lane Pacific Highway between Hexham and the Queensland border.

The two contractors will proceed to the next phase of the tendering process by submitting detailed tenders.

Initially approved in February 2012, the concept design of the project includes a four-lane divided road, new bridges for the Hastings and Wilson river crossings and a bypass of Telegraph Point.

"The two contractors will proceed to the next phase of the tendering process by submitting detailed tenders."

Since 2008, the Federal Government has committed over $7.9bn and the NSW government a further $2.5bn to this nation building project.

Set to begin in mid-2014, the latest project covers 23km, with works starting at the Oxley Highway in Port Macquarie and finishing north of Barrys Creek near Kundabung.

Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said that the new project is a part of the ongoing upgrade and full duplication of the highway, which is considered to be most expensive and complex road project ever undertaken in Australia.

"Once completed, the upgrade will deliver safer, smoother driving conditions for the 13,000 motorists and truck drivers who use this section of the Pacific Highway each and every day," Albanese added.

Alongside the tendering process, land acquisitions, geotechnical work, utility relocations and early works of the project at Sancrox Road are also ongoing.