Narooma Bridge over Wagonga Inlet. It was officially opened in June 1931. Photo: Transport for NSW.
The proposed installation of traffic lights at a busy intersection on the Princes Highway in Narooma will not go ahead after feedback from the community and Federal Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain.
It is back to the drawing board for Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to work out how to improve safety for pedestrians and road users at the Field Street/Princes Highway intersection on the “flat” while minimising the impact on traffic flow through the town and parking availability which affects nearby businesses.
More immediately, TfNSW has begun planning for routine but large-scale maintenance on Narooma Bridge to keep it safe and serviceable. The bridge will be strengthened, steel affected by corrosion will be repaired, and it will be repainted.
At the same time the Narooma Bridge and Transport Improvements Study, that was informed by consultation throughout 2024, is exploring long-term opportunities for the 95-year-old bridge and the Princes Highway to improve access and efficiency for all road users.
The proposed traffic lights were part of a $3.5 million intersection upgrade funded by the Australian and NSW governments through the Road Safety Program. That followed safety concerns raised by the community, including visibility issues and risk-taking behaviours at the intersection, particularly during peak holiday seasons.
TfNSW conducted community consultation in February and March 2025. It received 127 email submissions and more than 100 pieces of feedback from TfNSW’s drop-in session in Narooma, plus held 18 in-person discussions with local business.
Transport for NSW representatives and residents at the drop-in session on 22 February 2025 in Narooma about proposed traffic lights. Photo: Marion Williams.
While the community overwhelmingly recognised the need for safety improvements at the intersection, many worried about the potential impact traffic lights would have on traffic flow through the town. Others were concerned about the loss of 12 parking spaces and the potential impacts on businesses.
“Overall, feedback recognised the need to address safety issues at the intersection, however questions were raised about the best approach,” TfNSW said. “Key considerations when finalising the design will be balancing traffic flow, connectivity and pedestrian safety.”
It will continue to work with Eurobodalla Shire Council and look for opportunities to encourage the use of alternative parking options.
In its early investigations TfNSW considered installing a roundabout, installing a pedestrian crossing and restricting turning movements from Field Street and the caravan park opposite. Those options had constructibility and operational constraints and did not satisfy the project’s key objective so were not progressed.
As for Narooma Bridge, in December 2024 community members told Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland that recent work on the bridge had made it “so dangerous”.
“The new concrete buttress has been hit many times,” one resident said. “You have to give way to anything big coming” because the northern end of the bridge is now at a much sharper angle than before.
The Narooma Bridge and Transport Improvements Study will look at options to reduce holiday congestion through town, addressing tight road geometry on the northern approach from Dalmeny and Kianga, and the narrow lanes on the bridge.
Narooma Bridge looking north. Photo: File.
Narooma Bridge is listed on the Roads and Traffic Authority’s Heritage and Conservation Register. It was the first major bridge that the newly-formed Main Roads Board built on the Princes Highway as it developed the highway.
According to the book Narooma’s Past by Laurelle Pacey, the bridge is a reminder of the time when bridges had to allow the passage of river transportation, as well as road traffic.
In addition to having state historical significance, it has state technical significance because it represents a significant and rare variation of the bascule opening span. It was the first of only two of that design built in NSW.
More broadly, the study will consider the bigger picture for Narooma and how people move through the town, across Wagonga Inlet and connect with the Princes Highway, while supporting the town’s liveability, amenity and sense of place.
Expect to see TfNSW representatives in the area as investigations are carried out to inform the next stage of the study, such as Aboriginal cultural heritage values mapping and geotechnical investigations.
TfNSW said it would keep the community informed as planning for Narooma Bridge’s maintenance progressed and it began developing a schedule of work to minimise impacts.
