Bruxner Highway Improvements, Lismore

The Bruxner Highway is a key movement corridor in the Northern Rivers and plays a vital role in facilitating movement within Lismore as well as connecting the city to the Ballina/Byron coast and west to Casino.

Transport for NSW has been planning improvements along the full length of the Bruxner Highway and has developed a comprehensive Bruxner Highway corridor strategy. This includes investigating viable options to improve safety for all road users and reduce congestion between Ballina and Lismore, including through Lismore CBD where we need to cater for all trips including pedestrian and cycle connectivity.

Previous investigations highlighted Molesworth Street and Wyrallah Road on the Bruxner Highway as the key intersection connections into the CBD area, as well as pedestrian connectivity across the Highway.

The catastrophic 2022 flood event has seen a significant change to travel in the CBD area, with two schools being permanently relocated along with some businesses.

As part of an integrated transport planning approach Transport is partnering with Lismore City Council to develop a plan to guide future transport investment in the city. This work will review existing and expected future travel demands, with a focus on integrating and connecting active and public transport networks into existing journeys, providing real options to reduce our current reliance on private vehicles as the only transport choice.

Transport for NSW considered all feedback from stakeholders and the community received during consultation carried out in 2021 about the proposed Molesworth Street upgrade to assist with prioritisation of projects along this corridor.

Following the 2022 flooding that impacted Lismore, Transport is seeking to better understand network movements in and around the CBD, including desired pedestrian and cyclist connections, as a result of significant changes to travel patterns.

This project has been deferred until prioritisation of funding for safety improvements and upgrades along the Bruxner Highway between Lismore and Ballina has been determined.

Transport for NSW will continue to support Lismore City Council to provide an integrated transport planning approach for the CBD and keep the community updated.

• July 2021 project update

  Improvements to Lismore road network Upgrade of Ballina Road (Bruxner Highway) and Molesworth Street intersection.