On 12 November, the Australian Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and the NSW Minister for Roads announced the $23.5 million project to improve safety on the Princes Highway at South Nowra has opened to traffic.

The project, originally between Forest Road at South Nowra and Falls Road at Falls Creek, was jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments. In 2008 additional State funds were allocated to the project and the section between Falls Road and Jervis Bay Road was included in the current work.
In February 2007, the contract to construct the project was awarded to Reed Constructions Australia. Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) also engaged Professional Engineering Services Pty Ltd to manage the construction.

The work was completed two months ahead of schedule, in time for the peak tourist season over the summer months.

Project overview

The upgrade of the four kilometre length of the Princes Highway between Forest Road and Jervis Bay Road has:

• Widened the highway to four lanes from just south of Forest Road to Jervis Bay Road.
• Duplicated the two-lane bridge over Currambene Creek.
• Provided a wire rope safety barrier in the median strip between opposing lanes of traffic.
• Upgraded highway intersections at Comberton Grange Road, Parma Road and Falls Road including u-turn facilities at Forest Road, Comberton Grange Road and Parma Road to allow landowners directly fronting the highway to have safe access in all directions.
• Patched and repaved the road surface for the full length of the work.
• Provided bus bays for both northbound and southbound directions near Parma Road and Falls Road.

Background

The Australian Government has provided $15 million for safety works at South Nowra under its AusLink Strategic Regional Program, and the NSW Government has contributed $8.5 million.

In 2005, as part of this project, the Australian Government funded improvements to pavement drainage and traffic islands at the Jervis Bay Road junction at a cost of $500,000.

In July 2006, Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) upgraded the highway at Forest Road by providing a separate right turn lane, which assisted Shoalhaven City Council with its reconstruction of Forest Road.

In October 2006, after consultation with the community about the project design, some changes were made to the project, including an additional u-turn facility on Comberton Grange Road and a no right turn out of Parma Road.

Changed traffic conditions

Southbound motorists should note that the left lane approaching the Jervis Bay Road becomes a dedicated left turn lane. Motorist headed further south will need to change to the right lane on the approach to this intersection to continue to travel south on the Princes Highway.

Contact information

For more information please contact the project manager Brian Lefoe on (02) 4221 2428 or email Brian_Lefoe@rta.nsw.gov.au.