Contrary to indications made by the Member for Bega, Andrew Constance on November 12th 2018 the Transport for NSW has advised that it does not have plans to provide two lanes each way along the full length of the Princes Highway between Batemans Bay and the Victorian border, saying instead that sections of the highway where two lanes each way are identified as priorities in the short and medium term are outlined in the roadmap.
The Princes Highway Upgrade Roadmap to 2040 is Transport for NSW's plan for the highway over the next 20 years. Transport for NSW advise that the plan identifies what needs to be done now and into the future to deliver a safe, reliable, efficient and connected network for all transport users.
The roadmap is available at https://princeshighway.nsw.gov.au/roadmap2040.
Above: source: Andrew Constance MP "November 12th 2018 Over the next few years, I think it’s vital that we see the Princes Highway duplicated from Wollongong to Eden and onto the Victorian border.
We can't continue to have traffic reach the Jervis Bay intersection then merging into a single-lane highway.
Since coming into government, the NSW Liberals and Nationals have delivered more than $2 billion into upgrades on the Princes Highway to save lives and improve the flow of traffic.
There’s more to do, but I’m absolutely committed to ensuring that this happens for our region."
Irrespective of the video presentation above by Andrew Constance in November 2018 (incidentally in the leadup to the NSW State elections of 23 March 2019) Transport for NSW have advised this week that "A highway corridor between Batemans Bay and the Victorian border has not been identified or secured. Each section of proposed highway upgrade will require a strategic assessment of potential options. These assessments will consider a range of factors such as population growth, social and economic impacts, future traffic volumes, road safety history, nearby local roads and connected communities, future maintenance requirements, as well as cost, environmental and other constraints.
"As a highway corridor between Batemans Bay and the Victorian border has not been identified or secured, bypassed towns have not been identified.
"The NSW and Australian Governments' 2019 commitment to upgrade the Princes Highway includes plans for a proposed bypass of Moruya. Community consultation took place on the preferred strategic corridor option for the bypass in May/June this year, and Transport for NSW is currently considering the feedback received." The South Batemans Bay Link Road project will shortly start construction. The link road will connect the Princes Highway with Eurobodalla Shire Council's upgrade of Glenella Road. The project includes a new roundabout on the Princes Highway and a one kilometre upgrade of Glenella Road between the Princes Highway and Heron Road. The project will take pressure off Beach Road, relieve congestion in the Batemans Bay CBD and support future growth.
