Designs progressing for Mount Ousley interchange
Work is progressing on the Australian and State Government’s $390 million interchange on the M1 Princes Motorway at the base of Mount Ousley that will deliver improved connectivity, safety and efficiency for motorists.
Transport for NSW Regional Director South, Cassandra Ffrench, said key scope elements of the interchange have been confirmed, allowing the detailed design to progress.
“Refinements have been made to the scope and design of the interchange to ensure it will improve safety and access to and from Wollongong, support freight growth and improve traffic flow whilst delivering value for money,” Ms Ffrench said.
“Changes to the design include traffic lights instead of a roundabout on the eastern side of the interchange to improve efficiency for traffic moving between the M1, Wollongong and the University of Wollongong.
“The pedestrian bridge over Mount Ousley Road has been removed from the design. Instead, Transport for NSW will deliver other improvements to cycle and pedestrian connections along and across Mount Ousley Road. The design of these will be progressed as part of detailed design and shared with the community in the coming months.”
Ms Ffrench said with the contractor now on-board early work for the interchange project is well under way with survey, vegetation removal, pavement and geotechnical investigations being carried out to inform the project’s detailed design.
“We are on track to starting major work at the end of this year on this critical piece of infrastructure, that will not only improve travel times for motorists but also provide safer journeys and support growing freight movements to the south coast.
“The new interchange will improve the efficiency and safety of freight movements by introducing a heavy vehicle only bypass lane for southbound travel separating cars and trucks, as well as two new heavy vehicle safety ramps.
“The interchange will allow for better accessibility to and from the M1 Princes Motorway and the Wollongong CBD and will see travel times improved along this stretch of the M1 which is known for traffic queuing and delays during peak periods.”
More information on the Mount Ousley interchange is available at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/mount-ousley-interchange