Shoalhaven City Council will strongly endorse the construction of a grade-separated intersection at Jervis Bay Road and the Princes Highway.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The design (above) would improve safety and convenience for motorists heading north from Jervis Bay.
It is yet to be presented to Bay and Basin community members, who recently mobilised a campaign to improve the intersection.
Council will ask NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey, Kiama MP Gareth Ward and South Coast MP Shelley Hancock to fund the plans, concept two of three designs drawn up by Roads and Maritime Services engineers.
On Tuesday at the December ordinary meeting, Shoalhaven Councillors Annette Alldrick and John Levett flagged a design flaw.
“The problem with the right-hand turn for traffic going north is that vehicles could interfere with traffic coming south,” Cr Levett said.
“Option one eliminates that issue.”
However they later endorsed the motion, backed unanimously by Shoalhaven City Councillors.
On Wednesday, in a call to the South Coast Register, Cr John Wells admitted RMS had designed a better intersection.
“Yes, concept one is the best option, but it’s very expensive, it will amount to more than twice the cost of concept two,” Cr Wells said.
“It will be a long time coming, 15 years.”
Cr Wells told the Register concept two could be built within three years.
“I don’t want this item dropped off the agenda,” he said.
“That’s the risk of playing hard ball. Politics is the art of the possible.”
The third part of the recommendation was for council to continue to actively engage with the Vincentia Matters executive through the consultation process with RMS.
On December 5, the RMS told council directors funding will be required to progress the development of the intersection.
Concept 1
Shows a separated interchange over Princes Highway with on and off ramps to access the highway from Jervis Bay Road. Separate exit lane from highway onto Jervis Bay Road from the north and exit lane from Jervis Bay Road onto highway heading south.
Concept 2
Shows a separated interchange to exit Jervis Bay Road onto the Highway heading north. No change to the exit lane from Highway into Jervis Bay Road from the north or left hand turn from Jervis Bay Road heading south.
Concept 3
Shows a No Right Turn from highway into Jervis Bay Road from the south with the construction of a turnaround facility at Falls Road approximately 1.5 km north of the intersection, for vehicles that wish to access Jervis Bay Road.
No other changes to access and exit for Jervis Bay Road.