The push for the duplication of Picton Road has moved a step closer, with $44 million allocated to the project in this month's state budget.
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Transport Minister Andrew Constance announced the funding on Monday morning, along with $35 million in planning money for the duplication of Heathcote Road.
Mr Constance said the $44 million for Picton Road would be delivered over the next four years, for planning to improve safety and connectivity along the road.
"The funding will also support the completion of the concept design, environmental assessment and planning approvals, and allow the development of the final business case and detailed design of the upgrade," Mr Constance said.
"Picton Road is a major arterial road providing connection between the Hume Highway at Wilton and the Princes Highway near Mount Ousley, linking Port Kembla, the Illawarra region and the south coast with Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.
"This commitment will allow Transport for NSW to complete the strategic business case for the upgrade, as well as finalise modelling and options testing at the Picton Road and Hume Highway interchange."
The strategic case for Picton Road, including preferred upgrades, is due to be completed in the second half of next year.
Once that business case is completed, work will start on concept and detailed design.
There has been a growing call for upgrades to Picton Road, which has claimed at least eight lives since 2014.
Data from the Centre for Road Safety shows, between 2014 and 2019, there have been more than 40 crashes along Picton Road between the M1 Princes Motorway and the Hume Motorway,
The call for duplication of Picton Road has grown stronger in recent months, with the formation of the Picton Road Motorway Coalition.
The coalition members include Wollondilly Liberal MP Nathaniel Smith MP, Wollondilly Mayor Matthew Deeth, Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery and the Illawarra Business Chamber.
"You're talking about a road that's 32 kilometres long, with very high speeds, 25 per cent heavy vehicles and yet only eight kilometres of passing lanes - much of it is not separated," the chamber's Adam Zarth said at the coalition's launch in June.
"It doesn't meet community expectations and it doesn't meet the expectations of the private sector."
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