Background
Industries of the Illawarra are a major contributor to the NSW economy and the community tolerates many impacts of them operating in our city. We must get this project right in the design phase, as roads with impassable traffic corridors for pedestrians will be a burden on our community for decades to come. People who will use this pedestrian overpass are as essential to the economy as people in cars and trucks: we are uni students, TAFE students, teachers, school students, child care workers, parents, uni staff, TAFE staff, and employees of businesses in other suburbs.
Active transport should not be seen as low hanging fruit for budget cuts - it is essential infrastructure that makes our city livable. The $390 million project is funded on an 80:20 basis by the Australian government ($240 million) and NSW government ($150 million). The pedestrian bridge over Mount Ousley Road has been part of the interchange design since 2016. Fulton Hogan was awarded a design and construct contract in January 2024, and the removal of the pedestrian bridge was announced in March 2024. The federal minister has highlighted the safety improvements that will be achieved by separating cars and heavy vehicles at the bottom of Mount Ousley, however has failed to provide safe separation for the most vulnerable road users on foot, bike or wheelchair.
Minister: we are calling for you to reinstate the pedestrian bridge over Mount Ousley Road as part of the Interchange project.
After signing this petition, please contact the Transport Minister directly - the feedback form for Jo Haylen can be found here .
Since 2016 plans for the Mount Ousley Interchange have included a pedestrian bridge over Mount Ousley Road:
source: Roads and Maritime Services - June 2016 - Plans released for multi-million dollar interchange at Mt Ousley | Illawarra Mercury | Wollongong, NSW
2017 screenshot from the Transport for NSW animation showing the Mount Ousley Road pedestrian bridge:
source: Video | Facebook or Mount Ousley Interchange concept animation - YouTube
source: Get a first look at the Mount Ousley interchange | Illawarra Mercury | Wollongong, NSW - November 2017
The contract announcement in January 2024 included the Old Mount Ousley Road pedestrian bridge:
source: Fulton Hogan wins bid for long-awaited Mt Ousley Interchange project | Region Illawarra
In the March 2024 update Transport for NSW removed the pedestrian bridge over Mount Ousley Road:
source: Transport for NSW March 2024 - Mount Ousley interchange project update (nsw.gov.au)
