The question of how to address congestion in the Picton town centre has been a focus of Wollondilly Shire Council and the community for many years.
The town is located at the intersection of three major transport corridors and forms a major hub for traffic travelling between Sydney or Wollongong and surrounding regions in the Wollondilly Shire.
Significant work has been undertaken on the Picton Town Centre Transport Masterplan since 2018.
In early 2022, council resolved to test the findings of the Picton Town Centre Transport Plan 2026 in light of the impact of Covid on traffic volumes and changes to development forecasts.
Recent work has included stakeholder engagement, new traffic modelling of the upgrade options, new traffic survey data, updated land use development assumptions and testing the impact of the proposed Picton Bypass.
While the new traffic modelling confirms that Picton Town Centre will come under increasing traffic congestion pressure in future years, consistent with 2018 findings and numerous prior studies, the updated traffic modelling shows that sites such as the Menangle Street and Prince Street intersection will still perform at a satisfactory level in 2026.
As a result of this modelling, and in response to community feedback, the recommendation is that the upgrade of the intersection be placed on hold with an expectation of the Picton Bypass being implemented in the medium term.
The report recommends a formal review to determine whether to proceed with the traffic lights if the Picton Bypass is not yet under way by 2026.
“Ultimately, if operational before 2030, the NSW Government’s proposed Picton Bypass will resolve Picton’s congestion issues better than any other modelled scenario,’’ says Mayor Matt Gould.
“The ideal outcome for Picton residents and the wider Wollondilly community would be that the design and construction of the Picton Bypass is fast tracked and finally built.
“However, it is clear if the Picton Bypass is not implemented very soon, something will have to be done to allow a number of key intersections, including Menangle Street and Prince Street, to prevent traffic problems by 2036.
“The new modelling clearly shows the benefits of a functioning Picton Bypass. This only strengthens council’s resolve to provide support and advocacy for the Bypass, which is critical to Picton functioning as a vibrant, safe and sustainable centre into the future.”
The modelling indicates that if no changes are made, major traffic issues in Picton will be more than likely to occur consistently from 2031.
Given the recommendation is to place significant upgrade works on hold, council would need to continue to monitor and model Picton traffic on an ongoing basis and reassess intersection performance in line with progress by the State Government on the Picton Bypass.
The full report was tabled at the last council meeting of last year.
