The Macleay Valley Way is a road in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales that connects the Pacific Highway to Kempsey and Frederickton. It runs along a former section of the Pacific Highway that was bypassed by a newer alignment between 2013 and 2016.
Macleay Valley Way | |
|---|---|
 | |
  South end North end | |
| Coordinates |
|
| General information | |
| Type | Road |
| Length | 39 km (24 mi)[1] |
| Maintained by | Transport for NSW |
| Former route number |
|
| Major junctions | |
| South end |  Pacific HighwaySouth Kempsey, New South Wales |
| Pacific Highway | |
| North end | Pacific Highway Eungai Rail, New South Wales |
| Location(s) | |
| Region | Mid North Coast |
| LGA(s) | Kempsey Shire |
| Major suburbs | Kempsey, Frederickton |
| Highway system | |
Route description
editThe Macleay Valley Way branches from the Pacific Highway at the Kempsey South Service Centre. It follows the former Pacific Highway alignment. Instead of bypassing population centres, the Macleay Valley Way passes through the towns of Kempsey and Frederickton.
History
editMacleay Valley Way became the secondary road in two stages, as the new Pacific Highway was opened in two stages. The southern part of the new road is east of the old road which is now Macleay Valley Way through Kempsey.[2] The northern part is west of the Macleay Valley Way. The new bridge over the Macleay River and bypass of Kempsey and Frederickton was opened first, on 27 March 2013.[2]
The section north of Frederickton opened on 16 May 2016.[3][4]
This northern section of Macleay Valley Way includes the part of the former Pacific Highway that was the site of the Kempsey bus crash which occurred in the locality of Clybucca in 1989 when two loaded tour buses collided head-on.[4]
Major junction list
edit| LGA | Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kempsey | South Kempsey | 0 | 0.0 | Pacific Highway | Slim Dusty Interchange[2] |
| 3.6 | 2.2 | North Coast railway line | |||
| 3.8 | 2.4 |  Angus McNeil Crescent – Crescent Head | |||
| East Kempsey, Kempsey | 6.1 | 3.8 | Macleay River | ||
| Frederickton, Bellimbopinni | 14.5 | 9.0 | Pacific Highway | Dunghutti Interchange[2] | |
| Seven Oaks | 20 | 12 | Smithtown Road – Gladstone, Smithtown, South West Rocks | ||
| Clybucca | 25.7 | 16.0 | Plummers Lane – South West Rocks | ||
| 27.3 | 17.0 | Clybucca Creek | |||
| Barraganyatti | 36.6 | 22.7 | Barraganyatti Creek | ||
| Barraganyatti, Yarrengai | 39.0 | 24.2 | Pacific Highway (A1 north) – Macksville, Coffs Harbour Pacific Highway (A1 south) – Port Macquarie, Taree
 Stuarts Point Road (east) – Grassy Head, Yarrahapinni, Stuarts PointBlackbutt Shute Road (west) | ||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
See also
edit- Big River Way – bypassed section of Pacific Highway and the site of the Grafton bus crash
- Giinagay Way – bypassed section of Pacific Highway at Nambucca Heads and Urunga
References
edit- ^ a b "Macleay Valley Way" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Kempsey Bypass". Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ "Frederickton to Eungai - Pacific Highway upgrade". Roads and Maritime Services. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ a b Merkell, Helen (16 May 2016). "Deadly stretch of Pacific Highway to be bypassed today, 27 years after bus crash". ABC Mid North Coast. Retrieved 23 April 2017.