A major upgrade to Picton Road needs to be completed in a little over four years, according to the Illawarra Business Chamber.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In a submission to Infrastructure Australia's priority list for 2021 the IBC said the body's current five to 10 year timeline is inadequate, "as the road is estimated to reach peak-hour capacity in 2022 and daily capacity in 2025".
The IBC, as part of the Picton Road Motorway Coalition, wants to see Picton Road duplicated between the Princes and Hume motorways.
"The IBC recommends that Infrastructure Australia adjusts the proposed initiative to upgrade Picton Road to motorway standard (four-lane divided highway), concurrently with the Wilton Interchange," the submission stated.
Infrastructure Australia - which acknowledges Picton Road's high crash history - lists options to improve the road as including "minor road upgrades", adding overtaking opportunities and upgrading intersections - all of which have been branded by the business chamber as "inadequate".
"The current options proposed to address capacity and safety issues on Picton Road are considered inadequate and will not impact capacity constraints," the business chamber's submission stated.
The updated Infrastructure Australia priority list will be released in February 2021.
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.