Picton Bypass and Picton Road projects received $95.6m in funding from federal government

In a win for all three levels of government who have long advocated for a Picton Bypass, the federal government has announced $95.6m in funding.

After years of local politicians advocating, the federal government has announced $95.6 million for the planning and scoping of Picton Bypass and safety upgrades to Picton Road.

The multimillion funding was revealed on Monday morning and welcomed by the Hume MP Angus Taylor.

“The Federal Government’s record infrastructure investment pipeline continues to deliver better outcomes for the people of Wollondilly,” Mr Taylor said.

“This funding will make roads in this area safer, reduce travel times, congestion and give locals the roads they need and deserve.

“This is all part of our plan to make sure Wollondilly is one of the best places in Australia to live, work and raise a family.”

MP for Hume Angus Taylor

Planning works are expected to be completed by mid-2024.

In 2018, the NSW Government announced a $3 million investment into the project which was to fund a study.

Residents were invited to provide feedback on proposed bypass corridors back in February 2021, and the results of community consultation were released during the year.

The preferred bypass route released in that report stated the bypass would form a new stretch of road between Remembrance Driveway and Picton Road with intersections near Wonga Road and Maldon Bridge Road.

However, Transport for NSW did not provide a timeline for completion or details of any funding commitments.

Mayor Matt Gould and state MP Nathaniel Smith on the ground at Picton as the SES prepare to close Stonequarry Creek Bridge in early March 2021. Picture: Annie Lewis

Wollondilly Shire Council and local politicians have been strongly advocating for the Picton Bypass to create a safe evacuation route for residents in emergency situations.

They said it would provide alternative access through the town centre when the historic Victoria Bridge is closed, as well as addressing the increase in traffic caused by growing populations in surrounding towns.

Wollondilly MP Nathaniel Smith said there has been a lot of growth around Picton, Tahmoor and Thirlmere meaning infrastructure like the Picton Bypass was crucial.

“We saw in the 2019 fires, there was 15km of traffic from bumper to bumper and if the wind had changed we could have seen fatalities,” he said.

Picton Road. Picture: AAP Image / Robert Pozo

“Then we saw the floods in 2020 and a couple of weeks ago how important it is to have another evacuation point for those residents.

“It is a safety issue.”

Mr Smith said he would continue to “bang on the doors” at a state level to get the rest of the funding needed to complete the project.

“We keep talking about how much the areas are growing and we need to have the 21st century infrastructure to support that,” he said.

“Not just the Victoria Bridge that was built in the 1800s.”

Mr Smith encouraged residents to complete the West Invest survey that asks residents to nominate the projects they would like to see funded in their area, and highlight the need for the bypass.

Politicians have been calling for the bypass due to safety concerns in emergencies.

Wollondilly Mayor Matt Gould said he was excited to hear about the funding which goes towards addressing the infrastructure deficit in this growth area, particularly in relation to the Picton Bypass.

“We understand that these funds are for planning for these critical pieces of infrastructure, and look forward to finding out more of the details soon,” he said.

“I’d like to congratulate our local members, Angus Taylor and Nathaniel Smith for their support for these projects and we also look forward to the NSW Government committing funds in the upcoming budget.”

Cr Gould said as the area continues to grow, the need for the Bypass as well as improvements to Picton Road is becoming more urgent.