The region’s peak business organisation, Business Illawarra, has welcomed today’s announcement about the award of the major contract to Fulton Hogan to design and build the new Mount Ousley Interchange.
This project follows years of advocacy from Business Illawarra and local MPs for this important infrastructure upgrade which will replace the existing, dangerous and inefficient intersection of the Princes Motorway and Mount Ousley Road.
The $390 million project is jointly funded, with the Australian Government committing $240 million and the NSW Government $150 million. Early works will start in the coming months, including survey and geotechnical investigations, utility relocation and vegetation clearing. Major work is expected to start in late 2024 and the project is expected to take about four years to complete.
Business Illawarra Executive Director Adam Zarth said that funding for the region’s key road projects was hard to attain, and it was pleasing that despite the Federal Government’s recent review of the Infrastructure Investment Program and budget pressures for all levels of government that this project was progressing.
“We have worked hard to build the evidence base and successfully advocate with our members, local MPs and stakeholders for the Mount Ousley Interchange and are relieved that work on this project is finally starting,” said Mr Zarth.
“Key road projects like this are vital to the economic growth and performance of the Illawarra Shoalhaven, not only in the freight and logistics sector but across all key supply chains. This project will improve road safety, connectivity to Port Kembla and will provide work and training opportunities for more than 450 people in the coming years and have significant flow on benefits for local businesses and skills for our region’s workforce.”
Our Road Connectivity report revealed that over 53,000 vehicles use Mount Ousley and nearly 21,000 use Picton Road each weekday. The percentage of heavy vehicles using these roads is 15 per cent and 25 per cent respectively and is growing at a faster rate than passenger vehicles with both of these roads forecast to reach capacity in the mid-2020s.
“Improved transport connectivity provides access to jobs and services, access to markets, suppliers and workers and reduces the cost of doing business through travel time savings and reduced vehicle operating costs.”
“We thank our local MPs for their strong advocacy and support for infrastructure upgrades in the Illawarra and are looking forward to also seeing progress on the Picton Road Motorway project with the already committed $120 million in planning funding from the NSW Government, as well as the long-awaited work to improve our region’s rail network connectivity including the NSW Government’s election commitment to undertake an Illawarra rail network masterplan.”