The New South Wales (NSW) Government in Australia has announced that the A$862m ($662m) Tintenbar to Ewingsdale road section of the Pacific Highway upgrade will be open for traffic before the end of the year.

Work on the section is almost complete, and this upgrade is a major step towards the full duplication of the Pacific Highway from Hexham to the Queensland border.

The upgrade will improve safety for drivers, deliver more efficient roads for local, freight and commuter traffic as well as increase national productivity.

"The Australian Government has committed A$5.64bn towards completing the Pacific Highway upgrade by the end of the decade."

The Australian Government has contributed A$566.1m ($435m) towards the planning and construction of this project, while NSW Government’s share is A$295.9m ($227m).

Australia Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss said: "The Australian Government has committed A$5.64bn towards completing the Pacific Highway upgrade by the end of the decade, the largest single investment in a road in New South Wales and the second largest across Australia."

Work on the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale upgrade included the construction of a 17.3km of four-lane divided road, built to M-class (motorway) standards.

New South Wales Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Duncan Gay said: "More traffic changes are planned for July when the northbound ramp at the Ewingsdale interchange is expected to open.

"In the next three months, all bridges across the highway upgrade will be completed.

"The existing bridge over Bangalow Road will be dismantled, and this will occur just before the project opens to traffic later this year."

As large sections of the project are completed, major changes to traffic arrangements are planned and road users are urged to observe the reduced speed limits.

Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said: "The landscaped noise mound along the eastern side of Clover Hill estate will reduce traffic noise for Bangalow residents, and is now about 50% complete.

"Before the end of the month a new access road bridge over the new highway south of Bangalow will also open to residents, weather permitting.

"This week southbound Pacific Highway traffic has been diverted through the Bangalow roundabout to allow work to progress on the new interchange, including the Clover Hill noise mound."