Community feedback sought for proposed Picton Road upgrade

The New South Wales Government is proposing to upgrade Picton Road between the Nepean River and the M1 Princes Motorway. 

The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the western section of the upgrade – between the Nepean River and Almond Street in Wilton – has been released and the community is invited to have their say. 

Transport for NSW will be collecting and taking community feedback into consideration in preparing a submissions report. 

The community is also invited to meet the Transport for NSW project team and find out more about the Picton Road upgrade project through three drop-in information sessions to be held this month. 

“This Picton Road upgrade has reached an important milestone, and any feedback during this time will help to shape and refine the final design for the proposed project. 

“Picton Road is a vital road for many people who live in the Illawarra and I encourage all residents with views to share their thoughts. 

“The review covers the western section of the upgrade and includes the widening and upgrading of Picton Road for about five kilometres between the Nepean River and Almond Street in Wilton,” Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park said. 

The Australian and New South Wales Governments are jointly funding the planning of the Picton Road upgrade – each contributing $80.7 million and $44 million respectively. 

The Picton Road upgrade will be divided into three sections: 

• Western section – between the Nepean River and Almond Street, Wilton including the M31 Hume Motorway interchange 
• Central section – Almond Street, Wilton to around Mount Keira Road 
• Eastern section – Mount Keira Road to M1 Princes Motorway interchange 

The proposed scope of works on the western section include: 

• Widening and upgrading about five kilometres of Picton Road between the Nepean River and Almond Street in Wilton 
• Upgrading the existing Picton Road and M31 Hume Motorway interchange into a diverging diamond layout 
• New and upgraded shared paths on Picton Road 
• Reconfiguring the existing Picton Road intersections with Wilton Park Road, Aerodrome Drive, Janderra Lane and Almond Street 
• A reduced speed limit of 60km/h from the western end of the proposal to Pembroke Parade 

“The proposed upgrade of Picton Road is a great example of what can be done when you have a strong collaborative relationship between the Commonwealth and State Government. I urge people to provide feedback on this proposal to help ensure that it meets the needs of the community. 

“Picton Road is a vital transport link for the Illawarra. The provision of $80.7 million by the Commonwealth demonstrates that the needs of this region are in the forefront of the mind of the Albanese Labor Government,” Member for Cunningham Alison Byrnes said. 

Scope of the western section of the Picton Road upgrade (source: Transport for NSW)

Picton Road is a key east-west corridor that connects the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region to Sydney and the Greater Macarthur Growth Area, and it is a vital freight link between Port Kembla and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven. 

Upgrading Picton Road will support the growing communities and businesses across Western Sydney and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven by providing safer, easier and faster access to jobs, services, education and suppliers now and into the future. 

The Picton Road upgrade is currently in the design and planning phase. Construction on the project's western section is expected to begin between 2026 and 2027, subject to approval and construction funding, and it is estimated to take up to three years to complete. 

“This important road upgrade has been a long time coming for anyone who uses Picton Road and I invite everyone to get involved to make sure we get this right. 

“Work in scope also includes upgrading the interchange at the M31 Hume Motorway to a diverging diamond layout with new bridges over the motorway and new shared pathways, as well as the reconfiguration of existing intersections along the western section of Picton Road,” Member for Wollondilly Judy Hannan said. 

Source: Transport for NSW (1, 2); Picton Road Upgrade