$80m Promised For Canberra Link

Illawarra Mercury

Friday January 5, 2001

By DANIELLE WOOLAGE

The wheels have been set in motion for an $80 million upgrade of Main Road 92 - a 75km dirt road linking the South Coast to the Canberra region.

The announcement of the upgrade followed a funding agreement struck between the State and Federal Governments yesterday. Each will contributing $34 million to the project.

Shoalhaven City Council provided a further $12 million for the improvement, which will include the reconstruction, realignment and sealing of dangerous sections of the road between Nowra and Nerriga.

The fight to have Main Road 92 upgraded to a highway of national standard has been a long and protracted battle which began 50 years ago.

Gilmore MP Joanna Gash took up the fight four years ago. She was elated with the decision for funds, which she described as ``a win for the community".

``I have been working for this for a long time and my two promises when I was elected was to fight for funding for Main Road 92 and the North Kiama bypass," she said.

``In 1995 the people of Shoalhaven told me Main Road 92 was their number one priority and every survey (since) has returned the same finding."

For Ida Hitchcock and her husband, Jim, owners of the Jim Hitchcock Haulage trucking company, the battle to have the road recognised as a major arterial highway linking the coast to Canberra is one Mrs Hitchcock's family has been fighting since the 1950s.

``My parents bought a bus route in the Shoalhaven in the 50s after they heard talk that Main Road 92 would link the coast to Canberra," she said.

``It never happened.

``But hard-working people and politicians like Jo Gash have finally succeeded in getting (the project) under way."

Mrs Hitchcock said the upgrade would take a lot of pressure off the Kangaroo Valley route, because trucking companies would no longer having to cross Cambewarra Mountain to transport goods from the South Coast to inland areas.

The route, which connects Nowra to Nerriga, was expected to boost the Shoalhaven economy by $100 million annually.

Nerriga progress association president Phil Roberts said residents had been ``screaming for the upgrade for years".

``Nerriga (population 40) should be six times bigger than what it is," Mr Roberts said.

``It is on the route between Nowra, Goulburn and Braidwood, but (its growth) has been held back by the lack of access.

``(The upgrade) will increase revenue and commerce in the town and a decision has to be made to extend the upgrade beyond Nerriga to Braidwood or Gunning."

Major construction is expected to start next year with the project completed in three years.

KIAMA BYPASS ON FAST TRACK - P3