Residents at Dapto and other southern suburbs could find themselves cut off from the Albion Park Rail Bypass.
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Roads and Maritime Services is yet to confirm whether an interchange at Yallah will form part of the bypass construction.
“Funding is yet to be allocated for the Yallah interchange as modelling shows it is not required until there is a substantial increase in traffic,” Roads and Maritime Services spokesman said.
There are two options for the northern end of the bypass – but only one of them includes access to the road from Dapto.
“A cost estimate for the interchange is expected when tenders to design and build the Albion Park Rail Bypass have been received in coming months.”
There are two options for the northern end of the bypass – but only one of them includes access to the road from Dapto.
The Yallah interchange would feature roundabouts on the Princes Highway either side of the bypass with northern and southern on-ramps to the new road.
However, a second option would remove the roundabouts and the on-ramps, forcing Dapto residents driving south to continue to use the Princes Highway and navigate six sets of traffic lights.
According to the Roads and Maritime Services website, this trip would be much easier than it is now because “due to the bypass, traffic through Albion Park Rail will be significantly reduced”.
This could affect residents in other suburbs as well, given the nearest southbound access to the M1 – and therefore the bypass – is at the Northcliffe Drive intersection.
That’s more than seven kilometres north of the proposed start of the bypass, and takes in the suburbs of Kanahooka, Brownsville, Koonawarra and Horsley.
If the interchange was not built, northbound traffic would still be able to use the Albion Park Rail Bypass as the current exit to the Princes Highway at Dapto would still be in place.
A southbound exit ramp onto the highway at Albion Park Rail would also be provided in the revised design.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
