Dept of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications
$10 Million Investment To Give Dapto Southern Ramp Up
The Albanese Government is making it easier to travel across the Illawarra with a $10 million investment to plan Dapto’s new south-facing ramps, matching a $10 million investment from the Minns Labor Government.
The announcement follows an initial consultation period, conducted by the NSW Government, which received over 4,000 ideas and suggestions from the local community, all of which will inform next steps of the planning process.
The jointly-funded planning work will explore south-facing ramps onto the M1 Princes Motorway from Emerson Road, or from Fowlers or Kanahooka Roads which have existing north-facing ramps.
The project will deliver better connections between suburbs to the south such as Shellharbour and Kiama to suburbs like Dapto, Horsley and Brownsville.
The north facing on and off-ramps at Fowlers and Kanahooka roads currently limit Princes Motorway access to residents travelling to or from the north, forcing commuters travelling to or from south of Dapto to detour via the Princes Highway.
This leads to inflated travel times and distances for Illawarra motorists, particularly during morning, evening and weekend peak periods.
The population of the Illawarra-Shoalhaven is expected to grow by around 100,000 extra people by 2041. As the population continues to grow and travel habits change, the southern ramps will simplify travel options across the region.
Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:
“With the population of the southern Illawarra booming, it’s vital that our investment in essential infrastructure keeps up.
“These southern ramps are a simple intervention, but one that will have an incredibly positive impact on the way people travel around this region.
“Work is already underway with the NSW Government completing initial consultation and planning. This additional investment will assist with detailed planning and progressing the project so we can get shovels in the ground sooner.”
Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Roads John Graham:
“The community has spoken, they want these ramps. Now that $20 million has been committed from State and Federal Government, the detailed work can be done to ensure south-facing ramps go from being a good idea, to an every day reality.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Whitlam Stephen Jones:
“The madness of the north-only ramps means my constituents have to double back and forth between the highway and motorway to cover simple trips. Dapto’s north-only ramps have been a headache for locals for too long. This funding means we can finally get on with the job.
“As new developments spring up in West Dapto, it’s vital we get these ramps up and running so people aren’t caught in endless traffic jams. These south-facing ramps will give people a direct route and ease the bottlenecks on our roads.”
Quotes attributable to NSW Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson:
“2023 was the year of commitment, where our community made the case for this investment. 2024 was the year of consultation, where Transport for NSW heard directly from residents and motorists what they want to see from this project.
With this additional funding from the Federal Government, 2025 can be the year of detailed planning and development, as we get closer to starting work on this vital project.
https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/10-million-investment-give-dapto-southern-ramp