The timeline for the upgrade of Picton Road needs to be accelerated to avoid daily gridlock on the key link between the Illawarra and Western Sydney and prevent further tragedies, a coalition of businesses has said.
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Transport for NSW is currently seeking feedback on the proposed upgrade of the western section of the road, between the Nepean River and Almond Street, Wilton, including the interchange with the Hume Motorway.
There is no set deadline for the completion of the entire project, which has received $120 million in federal and state funding for planning works.
But time is running out, a coalition of Illawarra businesses have said in a submission to the project, with the road to reach daily gridlock in 2025.
"It is recommended the Picton Road Motorway project and interchanges be completed by 2025 given the road will reach its anticipated peak hour capacity in 2022 and daily capacity in 2025," the submission prepared by Business Illawarra on behalf of more than two dozen Illawarra businesses and organisations.
Already, the notorious arterial link is a deadly blackspot with seven fatal crashes and 26 serious injuries in the five years to March 2019 and the road regularly turns to gridlock during the morning and afternoon peaks.
Based on figures from 2017, 20,800 vehicles used Picton Road every day, with 25 per cent of these vehicles trucks and other heavy vehicles.
A study conducted in 2018 found that no other road in NSW handled a similar volume of traffic and wasn't upgraded to a higher standard, dual carriage freeway.
Only a small portion of Picton Road is divided and an even smaller proportion is double lane each way.
The demand on the 37 kilometre stretch is only expected to increase, with Port Kembla the key trade gateway for the rapidly growing aerotropolis and Western Parkland City, providing building materials such as cement and cars to Western Sydney and beyond.
Given this, Business Illawarra executive director Adam Zarth said timelines needed to accelerate to match the demand on the road.
"Key road projects like this are vital to the economic growth and performance of the Illawarra-Shoalhaven, not only in the freight and logistics sector but across all key supply chains,' he said.
"This project will improve road safety, connectivity to Port Kembla and have significant flow on benefits for local businesses and skills for our region's workforce."
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said feedback would be collated on the western section proposal and a submissions report published in 2024.
"Early planning for the remaining sections of Picton Road is underway."
The cost of a full upgrade of Picton Road was estimated at between $180m and $220m in 2018, with the price expected to have risen since then.
However, constructing the upgrade would lead to an economic benefit of $41.7m per year by 2031, in reduced travel times and vehicle operating costs, as well as savings from crash reductions.
"Improved transport connectivity provides access to jobs and services, access to markets, suppliers and workers and reduces the cost of doing business through travel time savings and reduced vehicle operating costs," Mr Zarth said.
"We thank our local MPs for their strong advocacy and support for infrastructure upgrades in the Illawarra and are looking forward to seeing progress on the Picton Road Motorway project with the already committed $120 million in planning funding from the NSW Government."
The project is open for submissions until Thursday, March 14.
