Coffs harbour By-Pass

Sener is a key design partner supporting Arcadis in the delivery of the AU$1.35 billion Ferrovial Gamuda Joint Venture contract for the Coffs Harbour Bypass. The project covers the main design and construction of tunnels, bridges, structures, and pavement works to create a new 12km section of highway and upgrade an existing 2km section of the Pacific Highway.

Sener is currently finalising nearly half of the detailed design, including some of the most complex and critical elements of the project:

• Tunnel Design – all three project tunnels
• Bridge Design – nine of the nineteen bridges
• Systems Engineering – Mechanical & Electrical (M&E), Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Fire & Life Safety, and MEP systems design
• Facilities – Maintenance & Operational Building and associated technical buildings

Project Significance

The Coffs Harbour Bypass is a priority project for the Australian and NSW Governments, given the Pacific Highway’s critical role in connecting Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane—one of the nation’s busiest freight and commuter corridors.

• Creates a four-lane divided highway
• Diverts 12,000 vehicles daily from Coffs Harbour town centre
• Removes 12 sets of traffic lights, reducing travel time by up to 12 minutes
• Improves safety, efficiency, and economic productivity

Environmental and Biodiversity Outcomes

The design minimises environmental impacts and safeguards biodiversity:

• Protects koala habitats on Roberts Hill and Gatelys Road ridgelines
• Integrates 16 fauna crossings
• Restores sections of native forest
• Establishes a two-hectare rainforest exclusion zone to protect newly identified plant species
• Manages Coffs Harbour’s high rainfall with robust flood mitigation and drainage systems.