Mount Ousley interchange

Over the coming months, contractors will be preparing tender submissions for the detailed design and construction of the project. Once a contractor has been chosen, they will finalise the detailed design and start site establishment activities.

Relocation of utility services will start in early 2023 and major construction is expected to start in 2024.

Listen on YouTube or read our latest project update (PDF, 1.73Mb).

Take a look at our overview map (PDF, 999Kb) or read what our project manager had to say about how this project will benefit you.

For more information about the Mount Ousley interchange, take a look at our frequently asked questions.

The Australian Government has committed $240 million and the NSW Government has committed $60 million to build the Mount Ousley interchange.

We are carrying out preparation work including utility service investigations, further environmental assessment and property acquisition.

The interchange will replace the existing intersection of the Princes Motorway and Mount Ousley Road, which currently experiences long queues and delays during peak periods.

This project will improve safety for both light and heavy vehicles, provide for future traffic growth, improve access and travel time to and from the Princes Motorway and the Wollongong CBD and increase safety for both light and heavy vehicles.

The community will be kept informed of progress.

The Mount Ousley interchange project will replace the existing intersection of the Princes Motorway and Mount Ousley Road, improve road safety, travel times and accommodate the efficient movement of future traffic and freight growth.

This project is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments.

• improved travel times
• safer access to and from the motorway to Mount Ousley Road
• improved access to the Wollongong CBD and University of Wollongong
• improved safety by separating cars and heavy vehicles travelling down Mount Ousley
• improved amenity for pedestrians and cyclists
• reduced vehicle operating costs
• provides for future traffic growth.

• heavy vehicle only bypass lanes for southbound travel, separating cars and heavy vehicles
• two new heavy vehicle safety ramps
• new commuter car park with additional parking space and improved incident response facility
• new southbound service road between Mount Ousley Road and University Avenue
• upgrades and widening of the existing pedestrian bridge over the motorway at Northfields Avenue
• new pedestrian and cyclist bridge over Mount Ousley Road
• two new roundabouts and a bridge over the motorway for improved access between Mount Ousley Road, Princes Motorway and University of Wollongong
• improved pedestrian and cyclist connectivity on existing shared paths
• five metre noise walls along the northern side of the motorway and the southern side of Dumfries Avenue; and along the southern side of the motorway and northern side of Falder Place
• three and a half metre noise wall along the southern side of Mount Ousley Road, between Gowan Brae Avenue and the cul-de-sac at the western end.

Transport for NSW displayed the Review of Environmental Factors (PDF, 7.27Mb) and concept design (PDF, 958Kb) for the Mount Ousley interchange between Thursday 16 November and Friday 15 December 2017. During the display we received 130 submissions and a total of 236 separate comments.

The environmental assessment for the Mount Ousley interchange is now complete and the Submissions Report was published in April 2018. The report addresses questions raised by the community during the consultation period in 2017.

An addendum review of environmental factors (PDF, 37.8Mb) has been prepared to document the potential environmental impacts of the additional utility works outside the original REF proposal area.

• November 2022 community update
  Mount Ousley interchange Gateway to Wollongong.
• November 2017 community update
  Mount Ousley interchange - Have your say.
• June 2016 community update
  M1 Princes Motorway Interchange at the base of Mount Ousley.

• Overview map
  Mount Ousley interchange.

• Freight Facts
  Road freight on Picton Road and M1 Princes Motorway at Mount Ousley

• April 2018 submissions report
  M1 Princes Motorway, Mount Ousley Interchange.

• July 2022 addendum review of environmental factors report
  Addendum report.
• November 2017 review of environmental factors report
  Main report.
• November 2017 review of environmental factors report
  Appendix B – Proposed concept design.
• November 2017 review of environmental factors report
  Appendix D – Traffic and transport assessment report.
• November 2017 review of environmental factors report
  Appendix E – Noise and vibration assessment report.
• November 2017 review of environmental factors report
  Appendix F – Biodiversity assessment report.
• November 2017 review of environmental factors report
  Appendix G – Landscape character and visual assessment report.
• November 2017 review of environmental factors report
  Appendix H – Hydrology and flooding assessment report.
• November 2017 review of environmental factors report
  Appendix I – Surface and ground water quality assessment report.

• November 2016 preferred option consultation summary
  M1 Princes Motorway - Mount Ousley Interchange.
• June 2016 preferred option report
  M1 Princes Motorway Interchange at the base of Mount Ousley.

M1 Princes Motorway, Mount Ousley looking south.

The countdown is on to the start of work on the Mount Ousley interchange with utility work starting in the next few months.

Work will include the relocation and installation of water, gas, telecommunications and electrical services and will bring the project one step closer to major construction in 2024.

Project Manager Warren Blacka said the Mount Ousley interchange will transform the gateway to Wollongong and will have big benefits for the local community.

"Part of the benefit of the project is it will improve access to the Wollongong CBD, the University of Wollongong and improved movements for freight and vehicles travelling both north and south," Mr Blacka said.

The project will improve safety by separating the interaction with cars and heavy vehicles travelling south and replace the existing intersection of the M1 Princes Motorway and Mount Ousley Road, making driving safer with smoother flowing traffic.

"Not only will the project provide upgrades in road safety but the project will improve connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists with a new bridge providing east-west connection over the motorway," said Mr Blacka.

We will build a new pedestrian bridge over Mount Ousley Road and an extension at the existing pedestrian bridge at Northfields Avenue.

We have been working closely with the community and our major stakeholders for many years during the development of the project.

"We live and work in these communities so it is important, we as a community see the benefits to infrastructure projects such as these and it is also important our community feel educated and informed about the project and the associated impacts."

As part of the project a new commuter car park will be built and relocated to the southern side of the motorway with additional parking spaces and an improved traffic incident response facility.

The right turn northbound from Mount Ousley Road that crosses the southbound lanes is a high accident area and will be removed as part of the project.The M1 Princes Motorway is the main southern corridor for freight heading to and from the ports, improving efficiency through this area will support future growth of the sector.

• 23 November 2022
  Upgrading the Mount Ousley interchange.
• 21 June 2021
  $60 million budget boost for Mount Ousley.
• 30 November 2020
  $21 million for Mount Ousley Interchange.