Member for Bega Andrew Constance with Premier Gladys Berejiklian in Moruya for the Prices Highway announcement, while Eurobodalla Mayor Liz Innes looks on. Photo Alex Rea
The NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has visited south coast communities to commit $960 Million for the duplication of sections of the Princes Highway from Jervis Bay Road to Sussex Inlet Road, in the next term of government, if re-elected.
In Moruya on Wednesday, Ms Berejiklian made the announcement with the Andrew Constance, Member for Bega and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and Eurobodalla Mayor Liz Innes. The funding will bring total commitments to the upgrading of the Princes Highway to $2.4 Billion.
The announcement includes building the Moruya Bypass and to start the detailed planning work for the Milton and Ulladulla Bypass and upgrades for the Princes Highway from Burrill Lake to Batemans Bay.
Earlier the Premier was in Tomerong with Roads Minister Melinda Pavey and South Coast MP Shelley Hancock for the announcement.
It’s part of a plan to duplicate the highway all the way to the Victorian Border over the next 20 years.
The Princes Highway has seen some horror crashes in recent years and with a fast-growing regional community has been stretched to capacity at holiday periods.
The NSW Government already has $1.5 billion of work underway on the Princes Highway and this announcement will increase that total to more than $2.4 billion.
Ms Berejiklian said “Upgrading the Princes Highway will improve safety, improve journey times and more efficient freighting will further boost our already strong state economy.”
The NSW Liberal-Nationals Government has already made massive investments in upgrading the Princes Highway between Wollongong and Nowra.
Upgrades have been completed at Gerringong, along with the Foxground and Berry Bypass. A further $1.5 billion of work is proceeding now, including the Albion Park Rail Bypass, the Berry to Bomaderry Upgrade, and Nowra Bridge project.
As well as improving safety for ordinary motorists, Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said the upgrade work will improve freight times.
“Upgrading the Princes Highway will be a major driver of economic development,” Mr Constance said.
“We are already delivering major road upgrades for the South Coast and our work in the next term of Government will continue those major investments.”
Mayor Liz Innes with Andrew Constance and Gladys Berejiklian and supporters at the Prices Highway Announcement. Photo Alex Rea
Ultimately, a NSW Liberal-Nationals Government is committed to duplicating the entire Princes Highway between Nowra and the Victorian border.
It is expected the investment will be more than $15 billion across the next 20 years to upgrade the Princes Highway.
Between July 2012 and June 2017 there were 1494 crashes on the Princes Highway between Jervis Bay Road and the Victorian Border, resulting in 30 fatalities and 350 serious injuries.
Between December 2017 and June 2018, eight more people lost their lives on the Princes Highway south of Nowra.
The steady reduction in deaths on the Pacific Highway in the 20 years since it’s full duplication started provides a strong case for similar work on the Princes Highway.
In Moruya, there was a noticeable police presence at the gathering of around 150 people, including local placard-waving protestors concerned about Eurobodalla Shire Council’s new Rural Lands zonings and clean energy.
Protesters greeted the Premier and local Member for Bega in Moruya.
Later the group travelled to Batemans Bay for a further announcement on new water treatment and sewerage systems in Nelligen.
On the same day The Deputy Premier John Barilaro was in Bathurst to announce the Coalition will spend $2.5 billion to duplicate the Great Western Highway from Lithgow to Katoomba, if re-elected.
The NSW Election is March 23.
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