Initial design and investigation milestones have been met on the East Nowra Sub Arterial Road (ENSA) project, bringing the alternative connection between the Nowra CBD and the suburbs and villages east of Nowra another step closer.
The Minns Labor Government provided $12 million to Shoalhaven City Council to complete this phase of the project, consisting of project management, site investigations, design and early construction works.
Site investigations and data collection have been completed including a topographic survey, traffic survey, service locating for utilities and site walks by design, environmental, and heritage specialists.
Council has also been working closely with Nowra High School and the Department of Education to address the infrastructure impacts on the school’s sporting fields which are affected by the proposed road alignment. A preferred relocation option for alternative sports grounds is currently under review by key stakeholders, with concept design to follow.
Completed activities to help inform the next steps of the project include:
- Survey – detailed site measurements and mapping.
- Service locating – underground utilities and services identified to avoid future disruptions.
- Site walks – on-site inspections conducted to assess existing conditions.
- Traffic data collection – traffic patterns and volumes recorded to support design decisions.
- Heritage due diligence assessment – potential heritage impacts reviewed to ensure compliance.
- Optioneering assessment – multiple design options evaluated to identify the most suitable approach.
Intersection traffic modelling to assess design options has been undertaken, with this optioneering phase now concluded. It identified several intersections that will need upgrades as part of the ENSA implementation. These include:
· Princes Highway / Moss Street
· Moss Street / Brereton Street
· Moss Street / Ferry Lane
· Princes Highway / North Street
· North Street / O’Keeffe Avenue
· North Street / Kinghorne Street
· Princes Highway / Junction Street
· Greenwell Point Road / Clipper Road
· Greenwell Point Road / Old Southern Road
Next steps involve a comprehensive network traffic analysis to further validate the travel time benefits of the ENSA project, and the concept design phase with draft concept drawings expected to be ready for community and stakeholder consultation by mid-2026.
ENSA is a proposed sub-arterial road that would provide a much-needed alternative connection between the Princes Highway and Greenwell Point Road and become a primary route for traffic that travels between the highway and Worrigee and the coastal villages to the east. ENSA would significantly reduce congestion at the Princes Highway/Kalandar Street intersection and reduce congestion on the Princes Highway through the Nowra CBD.
