Earlier this year the Commonwealth government committed $155 million to the build a new Shoalhaven River Bridge. 

“For the community, they are going to say ‘wow, this is actually going to happen’,” Mrs Sudmalis said. 

“After I made my [bridge funding] announcement, people said ‘this is just a promise, we are yet to see it’. Among support, there is always scepticism.”

The NSW Government matched the federal funding in its June 19 budget, meaning the bridge project will come to fruition. 

The total project cost is estimated to be $310 million, with tenders set to be called for in late 2018 and work likely to begin in the second half of 2020. 

A phone survey undertaken by Mrs Sudmalis’ office asked people their thoughts on the new bridge project. She said “90 per cent” of people support the plan, with the rest saying they “wanted a Nowra bypass first”. 

“It is a bit early for bypass, but is something that needs to come into the agenda for a future projects,” Mrs Sudmalis said. 

“Businesses are telling me it [the new bridge] can’t come fast enough for them. 

“For tourism, we are going to see that backlog on a Friday and a Sunday reduced. And for locals, the traffic flow will be so much better.”

Read more: Ward calls for all levels of government to cooperate 

Mrs Sudmalis said she would be "happy to be advised” by the Roads and Maritime Services on a Nowra bypass project. 

“They do the traffic studies and counts, they get statistical data,” she said. 

“They said it was better to build a bridge now and a bypass later. We will get their priority projects from them.”