Lane changes at the M1 Motorway’s Northcliffe Drive off-ramp will be introduced this week. Photo: Transport for NSW.
A right-turn-only lane will be introduced at the Northcliffe Drive off-ramp from the M1 Motorway at Berkeley in a bid to reduce southbound peak-hour traffic jams and improve safety.
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) announced that work will start on the permanent change on Monday (12 May) and will also include reducing the two southbound on-ramp lanes to one lane.
A spokesperson said queue lengths at the exit have increased significantly over recent years, with more motorists heading towards West Dapto, the fastest growing residential development in NSW outside the Sydney region.
“Substantial queuing has been observed on the off-ramp, along with unsafe driver behaviours posing a safety risk for motorists navigating the roundabout,” the spokesperson said.
Southbound traffic on the M1 starts to build up from 3 pm and by peak hour traffic is often at a standstill.
Motorists trying to avoid the buildup often exit at Northcliffe Drive, continue through the roundabout and rejoin the traffic from the southern on-ramp.
Currently, traffic can only turn right into Northcliffe Drive from the right-hand lane.
“A dual right turn arrangement will be installed at the roundabout into Northcliffe Drive towards Kembla Grange to reduce queuing on the M1 off-ramp, minimise the likelihood of rear-end collisions and stop illegal vehicle movements at the roundabout,” the TfNSW spokesperson said.
“This will mean motorists in the right-hand lane must turn right, and motorists in the left-hand lane may turn in any direction.
“The southern exit of the roundabout and on-ramp onto the M1 Princes Motorway will be reduced to one lane to accommodate the change.”
Work will include new signs and line markings at the roundabout to enable road users entering the roundabout from the off-ramp to turn right onto Northcliffe Drive towards Kembla Grange from both lanes.
Work will be carried out between 8 pm and 4 am on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 May, weather permitting.
The roundabout will be managed under stop/slow traffic control during work.
Electronic message boards will be onsite for up to four weeks to remind road users of the changes.
