Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) Ministry for Roads and Freight has awarded the first contracts for soft soil works on the final 155-km Woolgoolga to Ballina section of the Pacific Highway upgrade.

The soft soils works are part of the A$564.6m ($431.8m) Woolgoolga to Ballina planning and preconstruction works.

The Australian and NSW governments are each contributing $282.3m ($215.7m) for these works.

Golding Contractors was the successful bidder for the first wave of works, which are essential in preparing the ground before the start of construction of a four-lane divided road.

"Stabilising the foundation at the start of major work will allow the road base to settle before concrete paving is carried out."

The soft soils work will be done from 1.9km north of Farlows Lane to Yamba Road, as well as locations at Harwood and through to Chatsworth Road.

A total of seven businesses have bid for the work to install drains in the soft soils and build the road embankment.

Work under the contract will be initiated in July and if weather permits it will be completed by August next year.

The second contract has been awarded to SEE Civil to stabilise the soft soils along a 3.8km section of the Pacific Highway between Whytes Lane and Pimlico.

Tenders for the third contract will be invited later this year to stabilise soft soils in the sections that include Shark Creek to Maclean, Farlows Flat and Tuckombil Canal.

NSW roads, maritime and freight minister Duncan Gay said: "Stabilising the foundation at the start of major work will allow the road base to settle before concrete paving is carried out and reduce the overall time and cost of the project to ensure this critical infrastructure is delivered by 2020.

"With about 60% or 397km of the final highway length already upgraded, focus is now on the remaining Woolgoolga to Ballina section."

Following completion, the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade will reduce travel times by up to 25min and the distance travelled by road users by 9km.