Four proposals, comprising two alternative offers from each of the two companies, were submitted but after extensive investigation and discussion it was determined that none of these could be accepted by the government. In order, however, to provide of the required high standard between the state’s two largest cities as soon as practicable, the government decided in January 1962 to adopt a proposal by the Department of Main Roads for the construction of a four-lane expressway which would not only connect Sydney and Newcastle, but would also form part of an improved and more direct road to the north and north-west of the state.

The route of the expressway will pass through Wahroonga, Cowan and over Peat’s Ferry Bridge crossing the Hawkesbury River and then through Calga, Ourimbah and Swansea to Newcastle. It is intended that the existing Pacific Highway should continue to be available for local traffic and other traffic wishing to not use the expressway.

In the first place, and pending availability of sufficient funds from tolls and from normal sources of revenue, loan funds are being made available by the government to assist in construction of the road.

The first section of the expressway to be built will be a length of 4.8 miles north of Peat’s Ferry Bridge to the existing dual-carriageway road at Mount White, south of Calga. The Department’s staff has made the surveys and prepared plans and specifications for this section of the four-lane divided expressway for which tenders have been invited recently.

While this section is being constructed, plans and specifications will be prepared by the Department’s staff for a further section of 4 miles form Mt White to Calga.

It is expected that the whole length between the Hawkesbury River and Calga will be completed within a period of 4 years from the date of acceptance of a tender for the first section.

At Calga, northbound traffic desiring to proceed to Ourimbah, or beyond, will turn off to the left and proceed on an existing road to Peat’s Ridge near Central Mangrove and thence on a road now being constructed by the Department via Somersby to the Pacific Highway near Ourimbah. The length of new road from Peat’s Ridge to Ourimbah is expected to be ready for traffic by Christmas 1963, so that even before expressway construction to Calga has been completed, traffic proceeding north to Ourimbah or beyond will be able to avoid the very winding section of the existing highway at Mooney Creek and also the closely settled area between Gosford and Ourimbah.