Key roads, including Moss Vale Road, Cambewarra Road and Crooked River Road will be closed on Saturday, March 20 across parts of the day for the L'Étape bike race.
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The event will be split into two races on the same day with road closures starting from 4am.
Roads will progressively reopen throughout the morning and afternoon as riders complete the stages of the course.
The event organiser, Lateral Events, hosted online community meetings which discussed the traffic impact in March and July.
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The main race, 136km long, will start in Kiama, go through Shoalhaven Heads, Berry, Kangaroo Valley, Fitzroy Falls, Robertson, Barren Grounds and Jamberoo then end where it started in Kiama.
A shorter and easier ride will start in Kiama, travel down to Shoalhaven Heads and back up to Berry on its way to Beaumont. After Beaumont it will turn onto Moss Vale Road and head south to Bomaderry, crossing the Princes Highway on its way to Bolong and Coolangatta then finishing near Berry.
Event road closures -
In Avoca:
- Sheepwash Road will be closed from the Illawarra Highway to Nowra Road from 6.30am until 2pm. Local residents and motorists from Avoca and Burrawang can access the Illawarra Highway via Wildes Meadow Road and Walkers Road. Traffic controllers and Police will manage residents exiting these areas via right turn onto Sheepwash Road from Wildes Meadow Road then left turn onto Walkers Road where they can continue to Illawarra Highway.
In Berry and Berry mountain:
- Alexandra Street will be closed between Victoria Street and Station Road from 1am until 2pm for the ride finish area. Local resident access to Alexandra Street properties will be managed by traffic controllers and police when safe to do so between 1am and 5am.
- Coolangatta Road / Wharf Road will be closed from 5am until 2pm. Local residents and motorists can travel north to Berry between 9:20am and 9:30am only.
- Kangaroo Valley Road will be closed at Tourist Road from 5am until 12.30pm. Local residents and motorists can travel west along Kangaroo Valley Road until 7am. Local residents on Huntingdale Park Road and surrounding streets can travel across Kangaroo Valley Road at the Huntingdale Park Road roundabout where traffic controllers and police will facilitate access across the course in both directions when it is safe to do so.
- Queen Street will be closed from 5am until 11am. Local residents and motorists can travel across Queen Street at Alexandra Street where traffic controllers and police will facilitate access across the course in both directions when it is safe to do so. Local traffic can continue to travel between Prince Alfred Street and Ice Creamery Lane after 9.30am under stop/slow traffic conditions once the last cyclist has passed through Berry town centre. Motorists travelling westbound to Berry from Gerringong should use the Queen Street off-ramp from the Princes Highway as the exit at Berry Bypass will be closed.
- Station Road will be closed between Albany Street and Wharf Road from 5am until 2pm for the Ride finish area. Local residents and motorists can access Berry Railway Station via Albany Street will be managed by traffic controllers and police when safe to do so
In Bomaderry:
- Bolong Road will be closed between Gerroa Road and Shoalhaven Heads Road from 5am until 1.30pm. The eastbound lanes of Bolong Road from Bomaderry to Shoalhaven Heads will be closed from 7am until 1.30pm. Access to Shoalhaven Heads from Bomaderry via the Princes Highway, Beach Road and Gerroa Road will be available after 9.30am. The westbound lanes of Bolong Road will remain open for local residents and motorists to travel from Shoalhaven Heads to Bomaderry. Local residents in Northview Close will be able to exit right onto Bolong Road. Local residents in Shoalhaven Heads Road will be able to turn left onto Bolong Road
- Cambewarra Road will be closed between the Princes Highway and Railway Street from 7am until 12.30pm. Local residents and motorists can travel across Cambewarra Road at Meroo Road where traffic controllers and police will facilitate access across the course in both directions when it is safe to do so. Access to Bomaderry shops will be permitted under the direction of traffic controllers from the Princes Highway roundabout and Cambewarra Road. When exiting the shops motorists can only turn left at the roundabout. No vehicle access will be available along Cambewarra Road past Farrelly Place/Bomaderry shops. Locals can also access Bomaderry shops from the Princes Highway.
- Moss Vale Road will be closed from Barfield Road at Cambewarra to the Princes Highway at Bomaderry from 7am until 12.30pm. Local residents from Elvin Drive access the Princes Highway. Traffic controllers and police will manage vehicles turning left only onto Moss Vale Road then left onto the Princes Highway at the roundabout. Motorists can continue to travel in both directions across the Princes Highway at the Moss Vale Road roundabout. No access to Moss Vale Road will be available from the Princes Highway.
- Railway Street will be closed from 7am until 12.30pm
In Burrawang:
- The Illawarra Highway through Robertson will be closed from 7am until 3.30pm. Local residents and motorists can travel across the Illawarra Highway at Meryla Street and at Caalong Street where traffic controllers and police will facilitate access across the course in both directions when it is safe to do so. Motorists will be able to travel eastbound from Robertson Pie Shop along Jamberoo Mountain Road until 9:15am. Access to Burrawang will be managed by traffic control and police at the Illawarra Highway/Sheepwash Road roundabout from 7am to 3.30pm where motorists can travel along the eastbound lanes of the Illawarra Highway to Church Street for access to Burrawang. Local residents from Wilson Road can turn right turn onto Illawarra Highway then right onto Church Street for access to Burrawang. While the Illawarra Highway is closed motorists can continue to travel between Wollongong and the Southern Highlands via Macquarie Pass and Tourist Drive.
In Cambewarra:
- Main Road will be closed between Tannery Road and Moss Vale Road from 7am until 12.30pm.
- Moss Vale Road will be closed from Barfield Road at Cambewarra to the Princes Highway at Bomaderry from 7am until 12.30pm. Local residents from Elvin Drive access the Princes Highway. Traffic controllers and police will manage vehicles turning left only onto Moss Vale Road then left onto the Princes Highway at the roundabout. Motorists can continue to travel in both directions across the Princes Highway at the Moss Vale Road roundabout. No access to Moss Vale Road will be available from the Princes Highway.
In Coolangatta:
- Coolangatta Road / Wharf Road will be closed from 5am until 2pm.
- Local residents and motorists can travel north to Berry between 9:20am and 9:30am only.
In Fitzroy Falls:
- Nowra Road will be closed from Fitzroy Falls to Barrengarry from 5.30am until 2pm.
In Gerringong:
- Crooked River Road will be closed from 5am until 9.30am.
- Fern Street will be closed from 5am until 9.30am. Local residents and motorists can travel across Fern Street at Belinda Street where traffic controllers and police will facilitate access across the course in both directions when it is safe to do so.
- Changed traffic conditions will be in effect on the Princes Highway between Kiama and Gerringong from 4am until 10.30am. Contraflow traffic arrangements will be in place with one lane of traffic maintained in each direction on the highway using the northbound lanes. A speed limit reduction of 40km/h will be in effect while all southbound lanes are closed.
In Gerroa:
- Gerroa Road will be closed from 5am until 9.30am.
In Jamberoo:
- Allowrie Street will be closed from 7am until 5pm. Local residents and motorists can travel across Allowrie Street at Minnamurra Lane where traffic controllers and police will facilitate access across the course in both directions when it is safe to do so.
- Churchill Street southbound lanes will be closed between Jamberoo Road and Allowrie Street from 7am until 5pm. Northbound lanes will remain open. Local residents and motorists can continue to travel to and from Jamberoo via Churchill Street and Wyalla Road using the northbound lanes. Traffic controllers and police will manage traffic in both directions under stop/slow conditions.
- Jamberoo Mountain Road will be closed from 7am until 5pm. Local access will be managed for residents travelling in both directions along Jamberoo Mountain Road between Churchill Street and Daltons Road until 9:15am Access along Jamberoo Road, Allowrie Street and Churchill Street between Jamberoo Mountain Road and Fountaindale Road will be managed by traffic control and police until 9:15am.
In Kangaroo Valley:
- Cambewarra Lookout Road / Tourist Road will be closed from 5am until 12.30pm.
- Moss Vale Road will be closed from Barrengarry (at Carters Road) through Kangaroo Valley to Cambewarra (at Barfield Road) from 5am until 12.30pm. Local residents and motorists can travel in both directions along Moss Vale Road south of Cavan Road until 7:30am
In Kiama:
- Farmer Street will be closed between Manning Street and Bourrool Street from 4am until 8.30am.
- Sections of Manning Street will be closed throughout the day at various times: A section of Manning Street between Barney Street and Farmer Street will be closed from 1am until 5pm for event start and finish areas. Southbound lanes on Manning Street between Bong Bong Street and Barney Street will be closed from 4am until 5pm. Both directions of Manning Street between Farmer Street and Bonnaira Street will be closed from 4am until 5pm. Local residents and motorists can travel across Manning Street at Barney Street where traffic controllers and police will facilitate access across the course in both directions when it is safe to do so.
- Changed traffic conditions will be in effect on the Princes Highway between Kiama and Gerringong from 4am until 10.30am. Contraflow traffic arrangements will be in place with one lane of traffic maintained in each direction on the highway using the northbound lanes. A speed limit reduction of 40km/h will be in effect while all southbound lanes are closed.
- South Kiama Drive between Saddleback Mountain Road and Marks Street will be closed from 4am until 5pm.
- South Kiama Drive between Marks Street and the Princes Hwy will be closed from 4am until 9am. Local residents in Hillview Circuit will have access to and from their properties after 9am under the direction of traffic controllers and Police when it's safe to do so.
- Taylor Street will be closed between Chapman Street and Farmer Street from 4am until 8.30am.
In Robertson:
- The Illawarra Highway through Robertson will be closed from 7am until 3.30pm. Local residents and motorists can travel across the Illawarra Hwy at Meryla Street and at Caalong Street where traffic controllers and police will facilitate access across the course in both directions when it is safe to do so. Motorists will be able to travel eastbound from Robertson Pie Shop along Jamberoo Mountain Road until 9:15am Access to Burrawang will be managed by traffic control and police at the Illawarra Highway/Sheepwash Road roundabout from 7am to 3.30pm where motorists can travel along the eastbound lanes of the Illawarra Highway to Church Street for access to Burrawang. Local residents from Wilson Road can turn right turn onto Illawarra Highway then right onto Church Street for access to Burrawang. While the Illawarra Highway is closed motorists can continue to travel between Wollongong and the Southern Highlands via Macquarie Pass and Tourist Drive.
- Hoddle Street westbound lanes to be closed between Caalong Street and The Old Road from 7am until 3:30pm. Eastbound lanes to remain open. Local residents can continue to travel along Hoddle Street between Caalong Street and The Old Road in both directions using the eastbound lanes. Traffic controllers and police will manage traffic in both directions under stop/slow conditions.
In Saddleback Mountain:
- Saddleback Mountain Road will be closed between South Kiama Drive and Old Saddleback Mountain Road from 4am until 5pm
- Saddleback Mountain Road / Fountaindale Road will be closed from 8.30am until 5pm.
In Shoalhaven Heads:
- Bolong Road will be closed between Gerroa Road and Shoalhaven Heads Road from 5am until 1.30pm. The eastbound lanes of Bolong Road from Bomaderry to Shoalhaven Heads will be closed from 7am until 1.30pm. Access to Shoalhaven Heads from Bomaderry via the Princes Highway, Beach Road and Gerroa Road will be available after 9.30am. The westbound lanes of Bolong Road will remain open for local residents and motorists to travel from Shoalhaven Heads to Bomaderry. Local residents in Northview Close will be able to exit right onto Bolong Road. Local residents in Shoalhaven Road will be able to turn left onto Bolong Road
Local streets surrounding these key roads will also be affected. For full road closure details and local access arrangements see the Transport for NSW interactive map on https://letapeaustralia.com/community/.
These details and real-time updates on closures and traffic conditions during the event can be found at www.livetraffic.com.
The L'Étape bike race is a spin-off of the Tour de France and is organised by Lateral Event Management with support from Tour de France, SBS and Destination NSW.
The event has a capacity for 6000 riders but due to Covid, 4000 cyclists will be attending.
According to the Head of Sports at Lateral Events, Florent Malézieux, the process for traffic management began in September 2019 when Lateral Events got in contact with the local councils.
The Shoalhaven council approved the traffic closures at an ordinary council meeting on November 24, 2020.
Mr Malézieux said the organisation started engaging with the local community in March.
"Obviously it was in a COVID time so we couldn't conduct our community engagement as we usually would do it," he said.
"Normally we book halls to have face to face meetings with the local community.
"This couldn't happen this time so what we've done is reach out to different community groups recommended by the council and we've invited everyone to join a Facebook group on which we have held community meetings.
"Basically we had a video which explained the road closures, the timing of the closures and people were able to ask questions in the comment sections and we were answering those questions live.
"The traffic management plan was actually approved by all three councils in November 2020. Then we had to wait to be provided by another stakeholder with all the relevant maps with each township which happened in January. Then in Janauary we released those maps on our website."
Mr Malézieux said Lateral events organised, produced and paid for a letterbox drop in October 2020 via Australia Post.
"But I've received a lot of feedback from residents who told me they never received that in their inbox," he said.
"Unfortunately when we tried to investigate, Australia Post told us they don't report on the distribution."
Mr Malézieux said the company completed a second set of box drops, which finished on March 8, and was undertaken by a different provider.
Since February 19, Lateral events have installed hundreds of signs on the course indicating the road closure timing and providing people with a website and a phone number to get more information about the road closures, according to Mr Malézieux.
"Since last weekend we also set up 17 variable message boards positioned on the main roads accessing the region so weekend visitors are also notified that in two weeks there will be something happening," he said.
"The event is managed from an event command centre that is based in Kiama. There will be people from Transport for NSW in that command centre and we will update them at all times. We will tell them where the last rider and police car is and what roads can be reopened.
"In the past, I'm not saying it will happen this time, we have opened the road 20 and 30 minutes earlier than advertised.
"We understand it changes people's routines for the weekend but it's for the greater good because the long term impact of the event is highly beneficial to the region.
"It's not our intention to stay as long as possible on the road. Obviously we cannot provide all the detours available for all the single households beforehand.
"So people are grown-ups and can find out the best way to get around.
"If they have specific questions and if they find themselves in a difficult situation to find their way to get out or to get in, they are invited to contact us via info@letapeaustralia.com."
Another L'Étape Australia event is planned for December 2021 and again in 2022.
