[6] In February 2020, the northbound ramp from Port Wakefield Road to the Northern Expressway was closed permanently as part of the final stages of opening the Northern Connector, the project name at the time for the northernmost part of the North–South Motorway.

[7] The original bypass of Port Wakefield has become built up with roadhouses and other businesses, leading to calls to build a new bypass further east;[8] this has evolved into a duplication of the road through Port Wakefield, resulting in wider carriageways and a safer separation of traffic.

The contract for detailed design and construction of duplication of the highway through Port Wakefield and a grade-separated intersection with the Copper Coast Highway was let in March 2020 to the Port Wakefield to Port Augusta Alliance (a consortium of CPB Contractors, Aurecon and GHD Group, also responsible for the duplication of Joy Baluch AM Bridge in Port Augusta),[9][10] with the government announcing an overpass for the intersection with Copper Coast Highway in 2021.

[11] Project construction commenced in late 2020, with completion expected in 2022;[9] the overpass to Copper Coast Highway opened in December 2021, four months ahead of schedule.

To the west of the road is the coastal fringe of upper Gulf St Vincent, including a number of fishing and holiday villages.