The votes of just seven Illawarra residents was the difference between Lawrence Hargrave Drive closing for eight weeks and being open some of the time.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Tuesday, the Mercury reported that Transport for NSW had made the decision to close the road at Stanwell Park for eight weeks from June 9 to carry out slope stabilisation work.
The decision came as a result of community feedback in which 33 per cent of the 717 responses were in favour of the eight-week closure - or 236 people.
Three other options were also floated, including one that would see the road closed for 16 days during school holidays and then four to six months of closures between 9am and 3pm, and a full closure at night.
At other times, one lane would remain open to traffic.
That option finished a close second with 31 per cent of the vote - or 222 people.
READ MORE: Ola rideshare service hits the Illawarra
That makes a difference of 14 votes, if just seven votes went the other way then northern suburbs residents would have access through the work site at least part of the time.
Transport for NSW declined to saw whether the closeness of the top results made them consider putting up those two options for a second vote.
"Based on the large amount of feedback received from the community, it was decided the one eight-week road closure during winter months was the most appropriate option to carry out work," Transport for NSW southern regional director Jo Parrott.
"This option was identified by the community and business as the best course of action to minimise long-term impacts and to get work completed as quickly and safely as possible by avoiding closing and reopening the road daily."