Princes Highway - Corridor safety and efficiency upgrades program

Transport for NSW is delivering safety and efficiency upgrades on the Princes Highway at Moruya, including extending the existing northbound overtaking lane by around 550 metres south of Malabar Drive and upgrading the intersection at Malabar Drive.

Work starts on the Princes Highway between Shelley Road and Malabar Drive on 2 September 2025 and is expected to take up to three months to complete.

Work also includes shoulder widening, road widening, road surface and drainage improvements, installing roadside flexible steel rail barriers and reinstating the existing one-metre-wide centreline.

Further details about this work can be found in the August Community notification (PDF, 610.34 KB). 

The first projects to be delivered under the program started in June and includes upgrades on the Princes Highway at Conjola and Bimbimbie.

Conjola Creek to Lake Conjola Entrance Road

Safety upgrades at Conjola include new and upgraded flexible steel rail roadside safety barriers along this section of the highway, with wide centreline treatment to be delivered early next year.

Further details about this work can be found in the June community notification (PDF, 367.46 KB).

Jeremadra Creek to Bimbimbie Road

Safety upgrades at Bimbimbie include new and upgraded flexible steel rail roadside safety barriers, shoulder widening and drainage improvements, with a one-metre-wide centreline to be delivered early next year.

Further details about this work can be found in the June community notification (PDF, 361.14 KB).

The NSW Government is investing $60 million in this program of targeted upgrades to deliver a safe, reliable, efficient and connected transport network.

In line with the NSW Government's 2026 Road Safety Action Plan to reduce the frequency and severity of crashes, this program will be delivered in stages over the next few years along sections of the Princes Highway between Sussex Inlet Road and Moruya. 

These targeted upgrades are designed to improve safety and efficiency for all road users and will include the following safety interventions and road improvements:
 

Safety interventions

• safety barrier upgrades
• line marking and signage improvements
• audio-tactile line marking (rumble strips)
• town entry gateway treatments.

Road improvements

• curve realignment
• shoulder widening
• centreline widening
• increasing lengths and/or providing additional overtaking lanes
• intersection upgrades.

The key objectives of the program are to:

• improve safety along sections of the Princes Highway and reduce the likelihood and severity of crashes by aiming to achieve a minimum 3-star AusRAP safety rating. AusRAP ratings are used to assess road infrastructure based on factors that influence the likelihood and severity of crashes
• prioritise areas with a history of fatal and serious injury crashes to reduce the occurrence of these types of crashes
• improve the reliability, efficiency and connectivity of travel for South Coast communities, ensuring smoother and more predictable journeys
• align delivery of these upgrades with regular scheduled maintenance to reduce disruptions on the road network and minimise traffic impacts.

Once completed, these treatments will deliver the following safety benefits:

• roadside and median barriers - potential for a significant reduction in the severity and frequency of high-risk crashes, with estimates suggesting up to a 95 per cent decrease in head-on and run-off road fatal and serious injury crashes
• wide centreline - evidence suggests a possible 50 per cent reduction in head-on crashes, and up to 25 per cent in run-off-road incidents
• audio-tactile line markings - anticipated to decrease the likelihood of vehicles departing their lane by 15 to 25 per cent.

The initial stage of the program includes upgrades at identified locations on the Princes Highway, with a focus on improving safety and efficiency in key sections of the corridor. 

Delivery of these projects will continue into 2026, and locations are as follows:

• Conjola - Conjola Creek to Lake Conjola Entrance Road - started June 2025
• Bimbimbie - Jeremadra Creek to Bimbimbie Road - started June 2025
• Moruya – Shelley Road to Malabar Drive – starts September 2025
• Mogo - Deep Creek Dam Road to Burkes Lane
• Batemans Bay - Guy Street to Old Princes Highway 

We are also planning intersection upgrades on the Princes Highway at:

• Bergalia – Bingie Road
• Moruya – Larry’s Mountain Road

Design options are also being developed for a new shared pedestrian and cycle bridge adjacent to Millards Creek Bridge in Ulladulla to improve safety and connectivity for active transport users in the town centre. Delivery of this work is subject to funding.

More details about these projects will be provided as we develop the next phase of this program.

How do these safety improvements fit into the broader Princes Highway upgrade program?

The Australian and NSW governments are investing $1.9 billion in funding to upgrade the Princes Highway corridor between Nowra and the Victorian border. Projects are progressing, with major construction under way on the Jervis Bay Road and Princes Highway intersection upgrade while planning continues on projects such as Nowra bypass and transport improvements, Jervis Bay Road to Hawken Road upgrade, Hawken Road to Sussex Inlet Road upgrade, Milton Ulladulla bypass and Narooma Bridge and transport improvements.

In addition to major and more complex projects (that are often in planning and development for many years prior to construction), Transport is developing a program of safety and efficiency improvements along the Princes Highway corridor and has identified short-term upgrades at locations with:

• a record of fatal and serious injury crashes
• tight radius curves
• narrow lanes, unsealed shoulders and line marking requiring updates, including at intersections
• unprotected roadside hazards, such as trees, poles and steep embankments.

Find out more about Transport’s major projects on the Princes Highway web page.

Find out more about our Road Safety Program and regular maintenance work along the Highway at South Region Projects.

How were the areas identified?

We identified locations and upgrade types through a combination of detailed data analysis, including crash statistics, traffic patterns, and safety assessments. The Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP) was also used to evaluate road infrastructure and safety risks. Locations with a history of crashes and other safety concerns were prioritised. This data-driven approach ensures upgrades are focused on areas with the highest need of reducing the risk of serious crashes.

Why was the program area prioritised?

The program area was identified and prioritised based on crash data, safety assessments, and traffic patterns on the Princes Highway between Sussex Inlet Road and Moruya, where 276 crashes were recorded during the past five years.

What is an AusRAP safety rating?

AusRAP guides effective road management and investment to make NSW roads safer for everyone.

The AusRAP safety rating system is used to assess road infrastructure based on factors that influence the likelihood and severity of crashes. AusRAP assessments are completed on roads with speed limits of 80 km/h and over. Roads are rated on a scale from 1 to 5 stars. For more information about AusRAP safety ratings, please visit the AusRAP website.

Will the community be consulted on these upgrades?

The community will be informed about the upgrades as they are confirmed and impacts to the road network will be shared prior to delivery. 

We welcome feedback about the program or initiatives identified, and our team can be reached via email at princeshighway@transport.nsw.gov.au.

When will work start?

The first two projects under this program started in June 2025 and include upgrades on the Princes Highway between:

• Conjola Creek and Lake Conjola Entrance Road
• Jeremadra Creek and Bimbimbie Road.

Safety and efficiency upgrades on the Princes Highway at Moruya between Shelley Road and Malabar Drive start in September 2025. Work includes extending the existing northbound overtaking lane, upgrading the Malabar Drive intersection, installing flexible steel rail roadside safety barriers and other road improvements. 

A further two projects will be delivered in the second half of the year at Mogo and Batemans Bay, with all projects expected to be completed in 2026.

Additional stages (and locations) for further upgrades under the program will be announced once planning is finalised.

The community will be informed about individual projects and any impacts to the road network as they are scheduled for delivery.

How will these upgrades impact traffic flow during construction?

There may be some impacts to travel during work hours, such as reduced speeds limits, temporary lane closures and presence of heavy vehicle and plant equipment. We encourage road users to drive to road conditions and follow the instructions of traffic control and signage.

Notifications and traffic alerts will be issued for specific locations and projects. Motorists can also use Live Traffic NSW to plan their trip and monitor any incidents along the Princes Highway.

Are there any environmental factors being considered during the upgrades?

Upgrades will be confined to the road corridor of the Princes Highway, with some areas located near sensitive environments, including properties, vegetation and recreational or State parks.

Environmental factors are assessed during the planning and development stage, and environmental impacts will be minimised where possible. Our initial assessment has determined that work within this program will have low environmental or community impact.

How do these upgrades differ to minor safety projects and routine maintenance?

These targeted upgrades are in addition to routine maintenance and minor safety projects on the Princes Highway. The upgrades aim to address safety and efficiency concerns, and focus on locations that do not meet a minimum 3-star AusRAP safety rating. The program prioritises improving the overall safety, efficiency and capacity of the Princes Highway corridor between Sussex Inlet Road and Moruya.

Routine maintenance delivers required road upkeep, such as vegetation management, resurfacing, line marking and minor repairs. These targeted upgrades are designed to deliver more comprehensive improvements to the network.

In addition to supporting the 2026 Road Safety Action Plan, this program will also enhance efficiency at identified locations along the Princes Highway corridor.

• August 2025 - Community notification - Moruya overtaking lane extension (PDF, 610.34 KB)
• June 2025 – Community notification – Conjola Creek to Lake Conjola Entrance Road (PDF, 367.46 KB)
• June 2025 – Community notification – Jeremadra Creek to Bimbimbie Road (PDF, 361.14 KB)