This afternoon’s NSW budget is set to be a win for Illawarra’s roads, with hundreds of millions being earmarked for major upgrades.
The Illawarra Mercury reported that the government will allocate $200 million to upgrading the Princess Highway, with another $1 million set aside for plans to upgrade the Albion Park bypass.
The $310 million Gerringong upgrade will receive a further $115 million, with $19 has been set aside for the Foxground and Berry Bypass, and $18 million will be spent at South Nowra.
While at Mount Ousley, $4 million will be put towards developing climbing lanes.
Kiama MP Gareth Ward said it the upgrades could not come sooner for the region.
"I've attended the funerals of people who have lost their lives on the Princes Highway and it's one of the reasons I stood for Parliament, to fix this road," Ward said. "And that is what this budget is delivering."
"The Princes Highway was appallingly neglected by the previous Labor government," he said.
"The largest single investment in history on the Princes Highway is now under way at Gerringong, with more funds for Berry and the necessary studies towards the Albion Park Rail bypass."
NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay said his government had spent more than $287 million on the Princes Highway since 2011.
Image: expressway.paulrands.com