M1 Extension Update – 23rd June to 27th June 2025

newy.com.au – Night‑time roadworks across the Hunter region will bring traffic disruptions from Monday, 23 June to Friday, 27 June, as part of the southern leg of the M1 Pacific Motorway extension from Black Hill to Tomago.

What’s happening and when

From 7 pm to 5 am on Tuesday  24 June, Thursday 26 June and Friday 27  June 2025, the east‑bound off‑ramp from the New England Highway to Anderson Drive will be closed. Traffic will be detoured via Maitland Road, weather permitting.

Night‑time lane closures and stop/‑go controls with a 40 km/h limit will affect:

• M1 Pacific Motorway at Beresfield and Black Hill.
• John Renshaw Drive at Beresfield.
• New England Highway at Tarro.
• Pacific Highway at Tomago and Heatherbrae.

Daytime works (7 am–5 pm, Monday to Friday) include lane closures on Lenaghans Drive, Old Punt Road near the Pacific Highway, and the east‑bound New England Highway at Tarro.

Major construction continues throughout the week, including Saturdays (8 am–5 pm) and out‑of‑hours (7 pm–5 am Monday–Friday).

Heavy‑vehicle requirements & travel advice

Oversize or over‑mass vehicles (over 3.2 m ground contact or wider than 4.5 m) must contact the project team at 0423 323 946 at least one day before travel to avoid delays.

Permitted vehicles must stay on approved routes unless rerouted with a new permit from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

Motorists are urged to allow extra travel time and follow signage and the directions of traffic controllers.

Why it matters: the M1 “missing link” project

This is part of the $2.1 billion M1 extension to Raymond Terrace, jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments, aiming to close the 15 km “missing link” in the Sydney–Brisbane corridor. The 10 km southern section, from Black Hill to Tomago, is being built by John Holland–Gamuda JV and includes:

• A four‑lane motorway bypassing existing congested roads such as John Renshaw Drive, New England Highway and parts of the Pacific Highway.
• New interchanges at Black Hill, Tarro and Tomago, plus four major bridge structures, including a 2.6 km viaduct over the Hunter River and floodplain.
• The new route will remove traffic signals, ease congestion, improve safety for freight and commuters, and is expected to divert up to 25,000 vehicles daily from local routes.

Construction began in January 2024, following planning approvals in late 2022 and early 2023, and is anticipated to be completed by mid‑2028. The viaduct design was refined after extensive community consultation to minimise flood and environmental impacts, using temporary rock platforms and barges rather than dredging.

Stay informed

Motorists can stay up to date via the Live Traffic NSW app or the Live Traffic website. Search for ‘Black Hill’ or ‘Tomago’ in the app to follow incident alerts and receive updates.

This project promises a smoother, safer and signal‑free drive between Sydney and Brisbane, while easing congestion and pressure on Hunter region roads.