Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has released a summary of the pinch points and likely time delays for drivers over the busy holiday period.
TfNSW Executive Director Rob Austin said drivers can expect to see traffic build up from this afternoon when public schools are let out with the busiest days for holiday traffic expected around Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and the first and second of January.
“We expect significant delays for motorists leaving Sydney heading north on the M1 Pacific Motorway and Pacific Highway, heading west on the Great Western Highway, and heading south on the Princes Highway,” Austin said.
Austin also reminded drivers that a number of major regional roads projects will be shutting down during the holiday break, but many will still have reduced speed limits in place.
NSW holiday pinch points
Princes Highway, South Coast
The Princes Highway south of Bomaderry has several known pinch points, including Nowra, Jervis Bay Road, Tomerong, Milton, Ulladulla and Moruya.
The busiest pinch points with predicted delays of up to 30 minutes are:
- southbound at Milton on Saturday 27 December and Friday 2 January
- southbound at Moruya on Saturday 27 December; and
- northbound at Ulladulla on Friday 2 January.
www.livetraffic.com/incident-details/258560
Great Western Highway
For travel connecting the Greater Sydney area with the Central West, the Great Western Highway has several known pinch points.
The busiest days for westbound traffic to Lithgow is predicted to be from Saturday 27 December to Tuesday 30 December and Friday 2 January, with expected delays of up to 20 minutes.
www.livetraffic.com/incident-details/258561
M1 Pacific Motorway, Wahroonga to Gosford
This stretch of the M1 Pacific Motorway starts at the northern end of the Northconnex tunnel in outer Sydney and stretches about 50 kilometres to Calga.
As the key corridor for motorists travelling north out of Sydney to popular holiday destinations along the east coast, the busiest day is predicted on Friday 26 December with expected delays of up to 45 minutes.
www.livetraffic.com/incident-details/258557
Pacific Highway, Hexham
As a known pinch point, the busiest days for northbound traffic are predicted to be Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December, with expected delays of up to 30 minutes. Southbound traffic is predicted to be heavy on Friday 2, 9 and 16 January with expected delays of up to 45 minutes.
www.livetraffic.com/incident-details/258559
Pacific Highway, Coffs Harbour
Heavy congestion is expected at most times with the busiest days heading northbound predicted to be Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December as well as Sunday 28 December with delays of up to 20 minutes and up to 30 minutes on Saturday 27 December.
www.livetraffic.com/incident-details/258556
Pacific Motorway, Tugan
The busiest days heading northbound are predicted to be Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December as well as Sunday 28 December with delays of up to 20 minutes expected.
www.livetraffic.com/incident-details/258558