Princes Highway upgrade program

The Princes Highway is a critical link between Sydney and the Illawarra Region with the NSW South Coast down to the Victorian border. It provides vital connections between towns and regional centres and is an important freight link.

The Australian and NSW governments have recently committed $1.96 billion in funding to upgrade the Princes Highway corridor, and we are moving ahead with upgrades 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 the Nowra bypass, Jervis Bay to Hawken Road upgrade, Hawken Road to Sussex Inlet Road upgrade, Milton Ulladulla bypass, Narooma Bridge and transport improvements, and safety and efficiency projects along the length of the corridor.

• Improving safety for local communities, visitors and freight who all share the road.
• Easing traffic congestion.
• Better connecting communities through improved local access.
• Transforming the South Coast of NSW and catering to its growth.
• Better connecting communities through improved local access.
• Easing traffic congestion.
• Creating more reliable journeys.
• Enabling more efficient movement of freight.
• Growing regional economies through improved access to regional centres.
• Improve the atmosphere of regional town centres for the benefit of locals, pedestrians and businesses.

The Australian and NSW governments are investing in an upgrade to the Princes Highway and Jervis Bay Road intersection at Falls Creek.

The intersection upgrade will improve safety for all transport customers, reduce congestion, improve access to local roads and growing tourist and residential areas, improve network resilience, support active and public transport users and support the growth of regional economies.

For more information, see the Jervis Bay intersection upgrade project.

Transport for NSW is implementing a series of safety and efficiency improvements along the Princes Highway between Sussex Inlet Road and Moruya to reduce serious and fatal crash incidents, enhance travel reliability and ensure more connected journeys.

These initiatives are in addition to major projects currently in delivery and planning as part of the Princes Highway upgrade program and will be delivered alongside Road Safety Program projects and routine maintenance activities.

For more information, see the Corridor safety and efficiency upgrade program.

The Nowra bypass and transport improvements project is in its early planning stage. This project forms part of the Princes Highway upgrade program that aims to provide improved safety, better connected communities, eased traffic congestion and support regional economies through the NSW South Coast

For more information, see the Norwa bypass project.

Planning for a bypass of Milton and Ulladulla is underway.

The Milton Ulladulla bypass will deliver safer and more reliable journeys along the Princes Highway by bypassing the Milton and Ulladulla town centres.

Bypassing Milton and Ulladulla will take the flow of 'through' traffic away from these town centres, reducing travel times.

The Australian and NSW governments are investing $940 million for the continued planning and delivery of this state significant project.

For more information, see the Milton Ulladulla bypass project. 

Transport for NSW has identified the preferred corridor for the proposed Moruya bypass, concluding the planning phase of the project. Following extensive investigations and consultations, a refined Orange corridor option has been identified as the option that best meets the future needs of the community and the objectives of the Moruya bypass.

For more information, see the Moruya bypass project.

Transport for NSW is delivering safer and more reliable journeys on the South Coast by progressing the upgrade of the Princes Highway between Jervis Bay Road and Hawken Road.

This six-kilometre section of the Princes Highway has been prioritised as the first stage of the 20-kilometre Princes Highway upgrade between Jervis Bay Road and Sussex Inlet Road.

The prioritisation follows assessments into safety, traffic efficiency, connectivity needs and environmental conditions.

The Australian and NSW governments are investing $500 million for the continued planning and delivery of this project.

For more information, see the Jervis Bay Road to Hawken Road upgrade project.

Transport for NSW is delivering safer and more reliable journeys on the NSW South Coast and is planning for an upgrade of the Princes Highway between Hawken Road and Sussex Inlet Roads.

For more information, see the Hawken Road to Sussex Inlet Road upgrade project page.

Transport for NSW is in the early stages of planning for safety and efficiency improvements on the Princes Highway at Narooma.

Investigations include a feasibility study for the future of the Narooma Bridge. Short-term initiatives could include intersection upgrades and other safety improvements on and around the Princes Highway at Narooma.

The aim of the feasibility study is to help identify ways to improve Narooma Bridge access and efficiency for heavy vehicles, while improving conditions on the Princes Highway for all users.

For more information, see Narooma Bridge and transport improvements.

The Princes Highway plays a critical role in enabling a thriving NSW South Coast. It unlocks economic, employment and social opportunities for the region and connects regional centres and essential services between Sydney and the NSW South Coast.

As part of the Princes Highway upgrade program, Transport is considering safety and access improvements to enable safer, more resilient, more reliable, more efficient, and better-connected journeys on the network for the South Coast.

For more information see the Freight safety and access improvements page.

The Nowra Bridge project has provided a new four lane bridge over the Shoalhaven River, upgraded intersections and additional lanes on the Princes Highway. Major work started in mid-2020 and the new bridge was opened to traffic in February 2023. Finishing work on the project was completed in October 2024.

For more information, see the Nowra Bridge project.

Transport for NSW is building an extension of the M1 Princes Motorway between Yallah and Oak Flats to bypass Albion Park Rail. The NSW Government is funding the $630 million project. The bypass would complete the 'missing link' for a high standard road between Sydney and Bomaderry.

For more information, see the Albion Park Rail bypass project.

For more information, see the Berry to Bomaderry upgrade project.

The $274 million project will build better connections in and around Batemans Bay for motorists, freight, river users, pedestrians and cyclists. Major work started in early 2019 and is planned to be complete in early 2023.

For more information, see the Batemans Bay Bridge replacement project.

Transport for NSW officially opened the Princes Highway upgrade at Gerringong in August 2015. The upgrade provides 7.5 kilometres of upgraded highway between Mount Pleasant and Toolijooa Road and includes two new interchanges with access to Gerringong and Gerroa.

For more information, see the Gerringong upgrade project.

The Foxground and Berry bypass opened in November 2017. The bypass includes  a four-lane divided highway (two lanes in each direction) with median separation for 12.5 kilometres of the Princes Highway between Toolijooa Road and just south of Andersons Lane.

The upgrade also includes a bypass of the existing winding highway at Foxground and a bypass of Berry with access ramps at the north and south of the town.

For more information, see the Foxground and Berry Bypass project.

Transport for NSW has completed the upgrade to the Princes Highway at Termeil Creek The project involved building a new wider bridge over Termeil Creek and realignment of approximately 1.6 kilometres of the Princes Highway to improve the curves north of the bridge.

Construction was completed in mid 2016.

For more information, see the Burrill Lake Bridge project.