For the Christmas holidays, Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) experimented with the section of the highway where roadworks were under way.

In a bit to reduce the heavy holiday congestion of the previous year, RMS opened up two lanes between the Kiama bends and Fern Street, Gerringong, making a four-lane road.

In addition, the 60km/h speed limit was increased to 80km/h.

RMS monitored the experiment and deemed it such a success that it would be used for all long weekends until stage one of the Princes Highway upgrade is completed later this year.

For the Easter weekend the speed limit on the highway through to Gerringong and on to a point just south of Mullers Lane will be increased to 80km/h from Thursday.

The limit will return to 60km/h on April 8.

The speed limit at Berry will remain at 50km/h over the Easter weekend.

Also, roadwork on both the Gerringong upgrade and Foxground and Berry bypass will be on hold over Easter.

Work on a Princes Highway safety upgrade north of Milton will also be suspended from Thursday until next Wednesday.

The Easter long weekend is also the first time the Omega Bridge, north of Gerringong, will take holiday traffic.

The 350-metre bridge was opened in early February and is expected to improve traffic flow at that section of the highway.