ANYONE who has travelled the streets surrounding the Shoalhaven District Hospital precinct have witnessed first hand the congestion from cars parked on the side of the road.
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Residents in these streets can certainly attest to battling with challenging traffic conditions.
Many of the streets are packed with parked cars on each side and in many cases some of the smaller streets like Colyer Avenue and Mandalay Avenue have been reduced to a single lane of traffic.
With the planned closure of Scenic Drive, off Bridge Road,as part of the $342 million new Nowra bridge project over the Shoalhaven River, Hyam Street and North Street will become the main access points to Shoalhaven Hospital.
They are already constantly filled with cars parked on the side of the road, as is Shoalhaven Street to the east of the hospital, Scenic Drive and the northern end of West Street.
Despite the installation of a new $11.8 million multi-storey car park at the hospital the problem doesn't seem to be easing.
When we have driven past the car park on numerous occasions, at varying times of the day, we have seen the sign saying there are more than 150 plus car parking spaces still available.
The permanent closure of Scenic Drive will add even more pressure on these streets.
Access to the Nowra Aquatic Park will really be restricted to Hyam Street, then either Mandalay Avenue or Scenic Drive to get to the pool complex.
Yes, we all know we have to put up with some pain to get the new bridge but let's also throw in the planned $434 million upgrade of Shoalhaven Hospital, which will see the facility expand and therefore create more traffic and more parking needs.
We have raised these issues with Shoalhaven City Council, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and Transport NSW and while all conceded there are and will be traffic issues, they have not really offered any solutions.
They all maintain they are "in conversation".
Shoalhaven City Council says it is aware of the ongoing traffic parking congestion within Scenic Drive.
"These concerns have been noted and are currently investigating measures that will reduce traffic congestion along impacted local roads," a council spokesperson said.
Council was asked what plans it has for the ongoing parking issues and traffic congestion in streets surrounding the hospital.Could possible timed parking be implemented?
"There would be community consultation prior to any changes to the parking requirements," the spokesperson said.
"Council is working closely with Traffic for NSW and Fulton Hogan to ensure traffic flow in local streets and council infrastructure are addressed during the new bridge construction," the spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District said the Shoalhaven District Hospital's $11.8 million car park project, completed in March 2020, provides more than 220 new spaces in addition to the ground level spaces.
'That takes the hospital's overall parking capacity to more than 550 spaces," the spokesperson said.
"Staff are able to apply for a parking space at a reduced rate and more than 280 spaces have been allocated to staff, volunteers and fleet vehicles.
"In April 2020, NSW Health introduced free parking for hospital staff during the COVID-19 response, which is ongoing."
The South Coast Register is waiting for ISLHD to provide figures (a monthly breakdown) of the number of times the new car park has actually been used since its opening.
The spokesperson said the hospital conducts regular audits to determine whether more car spaces need to be allocated to staff, while keeping the balance right between patients, carers, visitors and staff.
"Demand for parking from visitors and staff has reduced since the onset of COVID, due to hospital visitor restrictions as well as some staff working remotely," the spokesperson said.
"The NSW Government's investment in car parking facilities ensures patients, their families and hospital staff have adequate parking facilities to support the delivery of and access to health services for local communities.
"Transport for NSW has also advised that it has considered the traffic flows and impacts and has undertaken traffic data analysis for Scenic Drive.
"The health district will continue to work closely with Transport for NSW and Shoalhaven City Council, as well as continuing consultations with the community, throughout the planning of the $434 million Shoalhaven Hospital redevelopment."
Transport for NSW said issues surrounding congestion and parking on local roads in Nowra were the responsibility of Shoalhaven City Council.
"Transport for NSW will continue working with council throughout the Nowra bridge project," a spokesperson said.
Asked why Fairway Drive at North Nowra was part of the bridge project and yet the Hyam Street and Bridge Road intersection at Nowra was not, the spokesperson said "the intersection of Fairway Drive and Illlaroo Road was part of the Nowra bridge project's approved study area."
"Excavations will be carried out to level Illaroo Road and rebuild it past Fairway Drive as part of improvements being made to the Illaroo Road and Princes Highway intersection," the spokesperson said.
"The roundabout's inclusion in the design will improve safety for road users travelling to and from the Greys Beach area. It will also help to reduce traffic speed approaching any queuing at the Illaroo Road and Princes Highway intersection."
Following the recent display of the detailed design for the new Nowra bridge, Transport for NSW said it recognises community interest in the permanent closure of Scenic Drive at Bridge Road and the impact this will have on other local roads including Hyam Street.
"The provision of traffic signals or other upgrades at the intersection of Bridge Road and Hyam Street is not within the scope of the Nowra bridge project," the spokesperson said.
"The project team will work with Shoalhaven City Council to address concerns.
"Transport for NSW understands council is investigating the installation of traffic signals at that intersection.
"Scenic Drive will be permanently closed at the intersection with Bridge Road as part of the bridge project for safety reasons.
"When the project is complete, this intersection will be less than 30 metres from the new signalised pedestrian activated crossing on the Princes Highway.
"If Scenic Drive remained open, motorists would not have sufficient time to stop for pedestrians crossing at those signals."
As part of construction of the project, the intersection of Scenic Drive and Bridge Road will be closed to traffic in the coming weeks to provide a safer working area.
"We will inform the community prior to its closure," the spokesperson said.
"To avoid impacts to local roads, construction vehicles will still use this intersection under the direction of traffic control to minimise congestion and maximise road safety."
Transport for NSW plans to minimise impact to local and through traffic while work on the bridge project is being carried out.
While the Princes Highway and local roads such as Bolong Road, Illaroo Road and Bridge Road will generally remain open, there will be times when temporary lane closures and detours will be required.