Motorists consider it one of the state's worst roads but a long-awaited bypass of the Princes Hwy at Albion Park Rail remains nothing more than a "long-term concept".
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Feedback from 15,500 drivers, released by the NRMA yesterday, found the congested roadway was the second-most hated in NSW, beaten only by a dangerous stretch of the Pacific Hwy near Urunga.
The notorious Princes Hwy bottleneck, along with Picton Rd at Avon, the Illawarra Hwy at Macquarie Pass, Mt Ousley Rd at Cataract and Yallah Bay Rd at Yallah rounded out the top five most despised sections of road in the Illawarra.
NRMA deputy-president Michael Tynan said a solution to congestion at Albion Park Rail - a bypass between Yallah and Oak Flats - had been recognised for years but repeatedly failed to attract momentum within the State Government.
"It's long been a problem and it's absolutely getting worse but of course, this all comes down to money," he said.
"At the very least, we need to ensure these problem areas are listed on the state's new infrastructure and transport strategy later this year.
"If people knew, for instance, a bad road would be fixed by a certain year, it wouldn't be everything but it would at least be something."
A Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) spokeswoman noted the future corridor for the Albion Park bypass had been listed on Shellharbour City Council's local environment plan.
"[This] possible option is a long-term concept which RMS will further develop with council and the community during the detailed planning stage of the project, when funding becomes available," she said.
The stretch of road is not expected to attract funding in next month's state budget.
Further south, the most frustrating roads were the Kings Hwy at Braidwood, the Princes Hwy at South Nowra and Moss Vale Rd at Kangaroo Valley.
To the north, the Princes Hwy at Heathcote topped the list of the worst roads in southern Sydney, followed by King Georges Rd.
"For many years roads like Picton Rd have been a death trap, which is why we urge governments to get on with it before more lives are put at risk," Mr Tynan said.
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