Premier Chris Minns, Shellharbour Mayor Chris Homer and Labor candidate for Kiama Katelin McInerney. Photo: Supplied.
The full scope of Albion Park’s long-awaited Tripoli Way Extension has now been unlocked, with a $20 million funding boost from the NSW Government ensuring the much-needed Terry Street intersection upgrade will finally be delivered as part of the $74 million project.
Announced yesterday (19 August), it brings the government’s total contribution since March 2023 to $40 million for the project.
The Tripoli Way Extension will alleviate congestion on the Illawarra Highway in Albion Park by establishing an uninterrupted travel route connecting Terry Street in the east to the Illawarra Highway at Broughton Avenue in the west, effectively bypassing the busy town centre.
Shellharbour City Council, which is delivering the project, previously removed some works at the Terry Street intersection due to a funding shortfall.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said this investment for “one of the most important potential thoroughfares in the state” meant council could get on with the job in full, with the balance funded by council and developer contributions.
“For too long, this community has been waiting for the services and infrastructure it needs — from schools and hospitals to local roads,” Mr Minns said.
“If you look at the statistics here, 6000 additional homes have been added to this community in a very short space of time without anywhere near enough infrastructure spend from the State Government to make life easy and bearable.”
Standing alongside Labor candidate for Kiama Katelin McInerney, Mr Minns said while there was a degree of skepticism when it came to promises made during byelections, the funds were assured and were a result of listening to Ms McInerney and Shellharbour Council Mayor Chris Homer’s concerns and acting after funding was previously promised and taken away.
He said with the massive increase in population, it was “completely unacceptable to have them absolutely smashed on Tongarra Road”.
“In fact, I know Tongarra Road because I was late for this press conference because I was caught on it this morning, and I don’t have to drive it every single day,” he said.
“Tongarra Road is a carpark for the local community, and the reason for that is there’s no good clear thoroughfare between Broughton and Terry, and we want to make that change.”
He said the Tripoli Way project was expected to “reduce traffic, time and congestion by we estimate 48 per cent, nearly 50 per cent, which will be a huge time save for the local community”.
Ms McInerney said this was the investment the community had been waiting for.
“In 2023 when I stood, we knocked on hundreds of doors in this part of the world in beautiful Albion Park, Tullimbar and Calderwood, and the number one concern people had in this area was the traffic chaos,” Ms McInerney said.
“It was adding enormous stress to people’s lives, making it difficult to get kids to school, kids to early learning and grandparents, making it difficult for them to come in and help.
“The number one message to me was we have to end the traffic chaos in Albion Park.”
She said during that March 2023 election, she was successful in gaining a commitment from the government to invest the initial $20 million for Tripoli Way.
During council’s November 2024 meeting, a motion was tabled after community members put forward suggestions for Tripoli Way’s entry and exit points, including taking away a proposed T-intersection towards the east of Tripoli Way that could potentially create a bottleneck.
However, it wasn’t supported due to concerns it could add two years or longer to the project start date, increase costs and jeopardise existing funding.
Cr Homer said the Tripoli Way Extension was a vital project for the growing community, with the additional funding able to “assist in getting the Tripoli Way Extension not only delivered but delivered right”.
“There’s been more complications with the T-intersection and that’s where this funding comes in,” he said.
He said the Albion Park area was fulfilling most of the state’s housing accord, with a new Calderwood school also planned.
“It’s been a conversation since 1961 and, frankly, it’s getting towards gridlock here,” he said.
He said early works to relocate aboveground electrical lines to underground were now wrapped up, with major tenders going out this month.
Completion of the entire project is expected in late 2027.
After criticism about the former government previously not investing in the project, NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman said the Liberals would match Labor’s commitment to complete the Tripoli Way Extension.
“Once again, the Premier is making big promises before an election, and once again they’re hollow. The people of Kiama deserve better,” Mr Speakman said.
“Labor acts as if they started government funding of the project – in fact the former Liberal Government had already put $16.6 million in the bank for it. We wouldn’t have this project without the vision and commitment of the NSW Liberals.
“Locals shouldn’t reward Labor for their for last-minute election spin.”
