No traffic lights from Melbourne to Coffs as M1 'missing link' opens

First cars hit M1 extension at Raymond Terrace 18 months ahead of schedule In short: The first vehicles have hit the M1 extension to Raymond Terrace 18 months ahead of schedule. The new 15-kilometre stretch of motorway bypasses the notorious Hexham and Heatherbrae bottlenecks, easing a decades-long headache for commuters. What's next? The Coffs Harbour bypass will eliminate the last set of traffic lights on the trip from Melbourne to Queensland when it opens at the end of the year. Drivers can now travel from Melbourne to the NSW mid north coast without passing a single traffic light, after the opening of a $2.24 billion M1 extension. The new 15-kilometre stretch of motorway at a Raymond Terrace includes two lanes in each direction, 11 new bridges over surrounding flood plains and bypasses both Hexham and Heatherbrae altogether. Both locations have been bottlenecks for decades, with large volumes of freight and holiday traffic merging with local commuters, bringing movement to a standstill during peak periods. The new motorway is expected to shave off up to 9 minutes of travel time and take up to 25,000 vehicles off local roads every day. Plans for the extension were first lodged in 2004, and the project has often been referred to as the "missing link" in Australia's east coast road network. Dennis Roohan manages a trucking company in Beresfield, near the end of the M1. Speaking to ABC Newcastle Drive he described the extension as "a game changer" estimating it would save truck drivers significant time on their long-haul trips up north. "[The bottlenecks] add a considerable length of time to the driver's journey each day," he said. "The drivers will now be home earlier to their families and then it's got the whole knock-on effect for the whole area of Beresfield. "To get our local roads back will be good." The new road has also been touted as an economic boost for the Hunter and NSW North Coast. "This so much more than a road project," said Committee for the Hunter CEO Alice Thompson. "It's about strengthening connections between the Hunter and North Coast and the Sydney to Brisbane corridor "This supports people, freight, tourism, investment and jobs … a great day,." The Coalition government committed $1.6 billion to the project under Scott Morrison in 2019, and successive state and federal governments have continued to add to the funding bucket, with construction officially starting in 2023. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the Hunter region earlier this week to cut the ribbon on the final $2.24 billion project. "Everyone who's ever driven from Sydney to Brisbane will all know that this choke point was something that was a real issue," he said. "It's great for locals because what it will do is make sure that it separates out the highway from local roads, which is good for road safety." Ahead of schedule The project was due to open to traffic in 2028, but a large workforce of more than 2,700 workers, streamlined decisions and good weather are being credited with bringing the completion date forward by 18 months. "There is a little bit of luck of the weather in it," NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said. "But I think it's just really a testament to the team. "We've had 70 per cent of the workforce here as locals, so they can see the urgency and the need for this project," she said. With the new motorway now open to traffic, motorists travelling from Melbourne to Queensland won't pass a single set of traffic lights until they hit Coffs Harbour. Those lights will be removed from the trip when the Coffs Harbour bypass opens at the end of the year. The Coalition has welcomed the opening, but neighbouring Nationals MP for the seat of Lyne, Alison Penfold, said other parts of the road network still needed serious attention. "It's great to celebrate the M1 extension, but I just don't want governments now to say 'job done'," she said. "There's at least six grade-separated interchanges and overpasses that are still needed [on the Pacific Highway]. "Now we've finished one job let's get on to the next," she said.