Strong public resistance in the 1970s to freeways being constructed within cities and unfavourable outcomes of government inquiries resulted in several freeway proposals in Sydney being abandoned.
This included the connecting the Lane Cove Valley and North Western Expressways, which means that the Pacific Highway (a six lane urban arterial) continues to be the connecting route between the freeway's southern terminus at Wahroonga and the city centre.

However plans are currently being developed for extensions at both ends of the M1:
The Federal Government supports the concept of a Sydney Bypass proposal, being a motorway connecting the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wahroonga with the M7 and thus the Hume Highway, leading southwest from Sydney towards Canberra and Melbourne.
It has funded studies to identify options for such a connection.
It will be a pair of tunnels connecting the Motorway at Pearces Corner, Wahroonga to the M2 Motorway near the Pennant Hills Road interchange.
Due to community concern, Mahla Pearlman carried out an independent review which was completed in August 2007.
The review concluded that the proposed tunnels should proceed as proposed under Pennant Hills Road, but urged that planning for the longer term connection between the F3 and the M7 should also commence immediately.
On 16 March 2014, the preferred contractor for construction of the NorthConnex link was announced.

As part of the upgrade of the Pacific Highway between Hexham and the New South Wales/Queensland border, a freeway extension is proposed to be constructed between the F3 at Black Hill (close to its current northern terminus) and the Raymond Terrace bypass.
This section is currently a major bottleneck during holiday and long weekend periods, with delays lasting hours not uncommon.
The layout of the twin bridges across the Hunter River at Hexham was designed primarily for local traffic to and from Newcastle, rather than to connect the Pacific Highway north of Newcastle to the freeway.
This freeway extension is not anticipated to be constructed until after 2026.
Strong public resistance in the 1970s to freeways being constructed within cities and unfavourable outcomes of government inquiries resulted in several freeway proposals in Sydney being abandoned. This included the connecting the Lane Cove Valley and North Western Expressways, which means that the Pacific Highway (a six lane urban arterial) continues to be the connecting route between the freeway's southern terminus at Wahroonga and the city centre.
However plans are currently being developed for extensions at both ends of the M1:
The Federal Government supports the concept of a Sydney Bypass proposal, being a motorway connecting the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wahroonga with the M7 and thus the Hume Highway, leading southwest from Sydney towards Canberra and Melbourne. It has funded studies to identify options for such a connection. It will be a pair of tunnels connecting the Motorway at Pearces Corner, Wahroonga to the M2 Motorway near the Pennant Hills Road interchange. Due to community concern, Mahla Pearlman carried out an independent review which was completed in August 2007. The review concluded that the proposed tunnels should proceed as proposed under Pennant Hills Road, but urged that planning for the longer term connection between the F3 and the M7 should also commence immediately. On 16 March 2014, the preferred contractor for construction of the NorthConnex link was announced.
As part of the upgrade of the Pacific Highway between Hexham and the New South Wales/Queensland border, a freeway extension is proposed to be constructed between the F3 at Black Hill (close to its current northern terminus) and the Raymond Terrace bypass. This section is currently a major bottleneck during holiday and long weekend periods, with delays lasting hours not uncommon. The layout of the twin bridges across the Hunter River at Hexham was designed primarily for local traffic to and from Newcastle, rather than to connect the Pacific Highway north of Newcastle to the freeway. This freeway extension is not anticipated to be constructed until after 2026.
Pacific Motorway (Sydney–Newcastle)