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The Tripoli Way Extension Project has been given the green light to move forward to the next stage and begin early works.

The determination of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Tripoli Way Extension comes after a 28-day public exhibition period earlier this year.

Read more here: https://letschatshellharbour.com/tripoli-way-extension-project/exhibition-environmental-impact-statement-eis

The primary objectives of the project are to:

• Alleviate the impacts of traffic growth along Tongarra Road, Albion Park
• Ease traffic congestion within the Albion Park Town Centre
• Increase the safety of roads within Albion Park
• Provide a valuable addition to the transport network.

The extension of Tripoli Way was identified by Council in 1961 as a long term strategic plan to manage our growing community. The project will reduce congestion on the Illawarra Highway through Albion Park, and has been identified in Council's Section 94 Contributions Plan since 1993.

Council engaged consultants, Cardno, in 2016, to help guide design and define project delivery and scope. In February 2020, Council endorsed community consultation to take place on the preferred alignment.

The Tripoli Way Extension is a separate project to the APRb. The physical works for the APRb will finish approximately 350 m north of the where the Tripoli Way Extension ties into Terry Street/Illawarra Highway. However, the design of the Tripoli way Extension has been developed with consideration of the broader traffic network, including the implications of the APRb on local and regional traffic.

The Tripoli Way Extension will improve connectivity with the APRb northbound entry and southbound exit ramps.

The project is due to begin early works in 2025.

Construction will be carried out in two stages, with preliminary work for electrical utility relocations to begin in early 2025, with main works following from June.

Community feedback has now closed and informed the determination of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project was made in September 2024, which considered factors such as traffic, noise, ecology, heritage, water quality, flooding, and social impacts, as well as proposing measures to minimise and manage them.

The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for Tripoli Way Extension is now publicly available.

The Review of Environmental Factors examines potential impacts of the extension, and how Council will minimise the impacts to the community and surrounding environment.

The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) has recommended that additional studies are completed and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is prepared. Council has engaged consultants to complete these additional studies.

The environmental assessment considers a range of factors including traffic, noise, ecology, heritage, water quality, flooding, visual and social impacts. The impacts will be identified in both the REF and the EIS documents and appropriate measures to minimise and manage these impacts will be recommended.

A significant portion of the project will be on Council owned land, some land within private properties will need to be acquired for the project.

NSW Public Works and Council officers continue to work with property owners to progress the partial acquisition of properties essential for the road corridor.

Following review and liaison with the design consultant, the impacts of land acquisition on the project have been minimised as much as possible.

Council has commissioned a Noise Impact Assessment as part of the Review of Environmental Factors (REF). The assessment will identify likely changes to the noise environment surrounding the Tripoli Way Extension as a result of the project. Where modelled noise levels are predicted to exceed the noise limits described in the current TfNSW Guidelines, the REF will identify a range of mitigation measures to be implemented which may include alternative pavement types to reduce road noise, screening where feasible and at-property architectural treatments.

The barrier is required for safety reasons. The inclusion of the central barrier and restriction to left-in/left-out access only, has been carefully considered as part of the design development for the project. It is needed to ensure the safety of road users, including both local residents and through-traffic, given the increased traffic volumes predicted to be using this route. The barrier will prevent cars from turning right across oncoming traffic between each intersection.

The total estimated cost of the project exceeds $40 million. Council has secured a significant portion of this funding from the NSW State Government, totaling $20.8 million.

• $16.6 million has been allocated from the NSW State Government's Accelerated Infrastructure Fund.
• An additional $4.2 million was announced in December 2023.
• The funding is further complemented by $200,000 from the Regional NSW Business Case and Strategy Fund.

Council will continue to seek additional funding opportunities to ensure the ongoing progress of the project.