Originally, the route names of Gwydir Highway and Summerland Way were to be extended along the road alignment towards Tyndale and Glenugie respectively.

[12] Three days later, on 29 May 2020, the old alignment of Pacific Highway between Glenugie and Maclean was officially renamed and gazetted as Big River Way.

[2] In June 2020, Transport for NSW began to propose safety improvement upgrades on the Big River Way between Glenugie and Tyndale.

Under this act, Gwydir Highway (as Highway 12) was officially extended east along Big River Way from South Grafton to the Tyndale North interchange, and Summerland Way (as Main Road 83) was officially extended south along Big River Way from South Grafton to the Glenugie interchange, on 5 July 2022,[20] although the road is still known locally and sign-posted as Big River Way.

[21] Big River Way is entirely contained within the Clarence Valley Council local government area.