Central Coast Council accelerates $343m infrastructure plan, $331m for Pacific Highway Wyong upgrade

The NSW Government’s 2026-27 Budget has set aside $331.6 million to start the Pacific Highway upgrade through Wyong town centre, part of a wider $403.7 million infrastructure package for the Central Coast that also includes local road renewals and intersection improvements.

The Budget allocation for Wyong’s Pacific Highway works is joined by $39.2 million for the Avoca Drive upgrade at Kincumber and $31.9 million for the Central Coast Highway/Tumbi Road intersection upgrade. All three projects are described by the government as part of a push to ease congestion and improve safety on the region’s busiest roads.

Record council capital program

Central Coast Council’s updated Long Term Financial Plan and 2026-27 Capital Works Program budgets $343.1 million for asset renewal and upgrades, with $169.4 million, or 49.4 per cent, earmarked specifically for renewing existing assets such as roads, footpaths, parks and drainage. The Road Renewal Program has received an extra $13.55 million over four years, lifting total road renewal investment to $203 million over that period.

Council says the acceleration is intended to address a backlog of local road maintenance and bring surfaces up to standard across suburbs including Gosford, Erina, Terrigal and Umina. Residents who have endured potholes and rutted streets should see a more sustained program of resurfacing and patching, beginning this financial year.

New homes and developer contributions

The NSW Government’s 2026 Central Coast Infrastructure Opportunities Plan identifies state and regional projects eligible for Works-In-Kind delivery, a mechanism that allows developers to build public infrastructure directly rather than pay levies. The plan is designed to support a housing target of 9,400 new homes by June 2029, with infrastructure such as road upgrades, parks and community facilities delivered alongside new subdivisions.

Council’s draft Local Infrastructure Contributions Plan (Section 7.12) manages how developers contribute to infrastructure like roads, parks and community facilities, setting a maximum levy rate of 1 per cent for development costs over $200,000. The plan is currently open for public comment, giving residents a chance to shape how growth-related infrastructure is funded.

For Central Coast residents, the combined state and local spending means more predictable road maintenance, targeted fixes at chronic pinch points like the Central Coast Highway/Tumbi Road intersection, and a framework intended to ensure new housing comes with the roads, parks and drains needed to support it. Work on the Wyong town centre Pacific Highway upgrade is expected to begin in the 2026-27 financial year, with detailed design and community consultation to follow.