Banora Point upgrade of the Pacific Highway in the Tweed Heads area

This case study demonstrates design principles from the Beyond the Pavement urban design guide.

Banora Point upgrade of the Pacific Highway in the Tweed Heads area

The Banora Point Pacific Highway upgrade is a transformational project and holistic solution to the development of a highway in the complex Lower Tweed environment that brings all nine urban design principles together. It addresses the Pacific Highway Urban Design Framework aimed at achieving ‘a sweeping, green highway integrated with the built and natural landscape, providing panoramic views and presenting an architecturally simple refined road infrastructure with variation according to the context.’

The 2.5km six-lane divided highway runs from Barneys Point Bridge (1) across a central valley to the southern end of the Tweeds Head bypass. It replaced the existing narrow and congested section of the Pacific Highway through hilly suburban areas that had poor horizontal and vertical alignment and high crash rates, leaving the old route to function as a local arterial and thereby changing the road hierarchy.

The project is characterised by improved and increased area connections including a new northern interchange (2) that connects with commercial and retail precincts; the overhead electricity poles and power liners were relocated away from the interchange. There are connections to, from and across the new highway for local traffic, cyclists and pedestrians. A 330 metre viaduct with clear noise walls is designed to cross the valley, which is revegetated and incorporates interpretation of cultural heritage on the valley floor. (3) A dramatic cutting on curvature has been made through Sexton Hill with elegant lines, feature lighting and high quality finishes. It is formed to avoid a notch in the skyline and has a distinctive gateway effect.

Wilson Park (4 and picture below) has been reshaped and improved to become a focal neighbourhood park atop a new land-bridge, which forms a green connection between east and west Banora Point. The experience in movement on the highway includes views through the main cutting and from the viaduct of the Pacific Ocean and Gold Coast depending on the direction of travel, together with transitions from urban areas to rural and estuarine landscapes. There is extensive use of acrylic, see through, noise attenuation. The project’s design process involved a professional alliance contract and strong collaboration with Tweed Shire Council and the business and Aboriginal community in particular resulting in a transformation of the entire area.

The Tweed Heads entrance from the Pacific Highway marked by pine trees, palms and a refined road infrastructure utilising dark tinted concrete panelling contrasting with the road parapet and breaking down the impact of the walls.

The Banora Point cutting from the land-bridge looking north to the Gold Coast. The retaining walls extend beyond the original surrounding ground plane to neatly provide the noise walls. Lighting is integrated into the walls to break down their expanse and create a night-time effect.

The view from the land-bridge looking south. The viaduct noise walls are clear acrylic to allow views and light and minimise visual impacts form properties.