The St Helena Tunnel is a twin-tube road tunnel that forms part of the Pacific Highway near Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. The tunnel under St Helena Hill in the locality of Ewingsdale was built as part of the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale upgrade, which involved a new alignment of the highway.
Features The tunnel was built to avoid the steep grades of St Helena Hill on the previous alignment of the highway, and the associated heavy truck noise and pollution. At its deepest point the tunnel is below the ridge line. There are two tunnels, with the northbound tunnel accommodating two traffic lanes and the southbound three traffic lanes, due to the gradient of the highway at this point. There is also a bicycle/pedestrian lane in each tunnel.Environmental Assessment Submissions Report Roads & Traffic Authority May 2009
The cost of the Tintenbar–Ewingsdale upgrade project was $862 million, jointly funded by the New South Wales and Federal governments.Planning approval given for Tintenbar-Ewingsdale Pacific Highway upgrade Far North Coaster 29 January 2010 It opened on 18 December 2015.St Helena Tunnel Transport for NSW The remaining tie-in work at each end was completed in March 2016.
The St Helena Road passes over the top of the tunnel and provides local access to the Bangalow Road (B62) that is a link between Bangalow and Byron Bay.
Milestones January 2010 – Planning approval and construction funding for the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale project including the St Helena Tunnel May 2010 – Roads & Maritime Services called for expressions of interest for the construction of the upgrade December 2010 – three companies were invited to submit detailed tenders August 2011 – the contract was awarded to BaulderstonePacific Highway Tintenbar to Ewingsdale Upgrade Roads & Traffic AuthorityAnother stage of Pacific Hwy duplication gets all clear Australasian Transport News 9 August 2011 27 September 2012 – the shovel ceremony was held to commemorate the start of construction 28 May 2013 – Blasting began on the twin tunnels 24 January 2014 – Excavator broke through on the northbound tunnelTunnel breakthrough a major milestone for highway upgrade The Northern Star 24 January 2014 26 February 2014 – Excavator broke through on the southbound tunnel December 2015 – Commissioning of tunnels began 18 December 2015 – The highway upgrade, including the twin tunnels, opened to traffic
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