State Route 157 Albion Park - Warilla

One of the few RD signs showing SR157, westbound on Tongarra Rd in Albion Park Rail. July 2004.

Length: 8km

Eastern Terminus: Shellharbour Rd & Lake Entrance Rd & George St, Warilla

Western Terminus: Illawarra Hwy & Tongarra Rd & Terry St, Albion Park

Route taken: Lake Entrance Rd, New Lake Entrance Rd, Princes Hwy, Tongarra Rd

Focal Points: Warilla, Shellharbour, Oak Flats, Albion Park

RTA Internal Classification: Main Road No. 262 (Tongarra Rd), State Highway No. 1 (Princes Hwy), Main Road No. 611 (Princes Hwy to Shellharbour Rd)

Route Overview:

State Route 157 is an east-west route in the south of Wollongong, connecting the Illawarra and Princes Highways to the Shellharbour City Centre and State Route 151. Its importance has only increaswed in the last ten years, integrated with the increasing suburbanisation of the Albion Park, Oak Flats and Blackbutt areas, and the establishment of the Shellharbour City Centre. Widening to six lanes has been completed east of the Princes Highway while west of the highway the road still retains its rural feel, passing across the Flinders Creek floodplain. Any plans to upgrade this section have been postponed with the construction of Ashburton Drive between Jamberoo Road and the Oak Flats interchange in 2001.

At the time of SR157's introduction in 1974, the route was still only two-lane single carriageway road, except at its eastern end near the Warilla shopping centre. The original route was from Shellharbour Road via Lake Entrance Road, Tongarra Road (now renamed Pioneer Drive and the level crossing has since been closed), the Princes Highway and Tongarra Road to the Illawarra Highway at Albion Park. Improvements to the route began in the 1980s with widening to six lanes at its eastern end. A major deviation was opened to traffic in March 1988, New Lake Entrance Road, between Government Road and Pioneer Drive, however traffic was still required to negotiate the Oak Flats railway crossing. The most recent improvement came in October 2001 with the opening of the Oak Flats Interchange, an elevated roundabout above the Princes Hwy, a railway overpass and a new road between the Princes Highway and Jamberoo Road. This new road has alleviated any need for the upgrading of Tongarra Road in the short term.

A 1.5km duplex exists with National Route 1 on the Princes Highway although it is currently unsigned and I am yet to see evidence that it was ever signed. Nonetheless there is no uncertainty that the route indeed extends to Albion Park.

Notable Events:

1974 - Route introduced
Mar 1988 - New Lake Entrance Road opened
Oct 2001 - Oak Flats Interchange

	Eastbound on the Illawarra Highway approaching the beginning of SR157 (Shellharbour/Nowra focal points) at Albion Park. Note the lack of a SR157 shield and the incorect NH48 shield. Dec 2004.
	Heading east along Tongarra Road in Albion Park. Note that the focal points pertain to National Route 1, not SR157. This sign would be much improved by the addition of Shellharbour as a focal point. Dec 2004.
	Looking south-east on Princes Highway approaching Tongarra Rd. Note the lack of a SR157 shield straight ahead. July 2004.
	Heading east on Princes Hwy approaching the Oak Flats Interchange and where SR157 splits off the highway. Note the coverplating on the sign, highlighting the new location of the Shellharbour City Centre. Dec 2004.
	A secondary AD sign for the same interchange showing the old focal points for SR157. Dec 2004.
	Westbound on Princes Highway approaching the Oak Flats Interchange. Feb 2006.
	Unusual AD sign on the offramp at the Oak Flats Interchange. Dec 2004.
	Heading north on New Lake Entrance Rd towards Pioneer Drive. Dec 2004.
	Looking west along New Lake Entrance Road towards Pioneer Dr and the Princes Highway. Dec 2004.
	Pioneer Drive - the former alignment of Princes Hwy (1920-31) and former alignment of SR157 (1974-2001) - near Central Ave. Dec 2004.
	SR157 ID signs at Government Rd. Note that Albion Park has replaced Oak Flats as the westbound focal point, since the Oak Flats Interchange opened to traffic, bypassing the Oak Flats Rail Crossing. Dec 2004.
	Looking east near Government. Dec 2004.
	Looking west at Shellharbour City Centre. You can see in the distance the original Lake Entrance Rd alignment. Dec 2004.
	Looking east at the end of SR157 at Shellharbour Road, Warilla. Dec 2004.
	Looking west along Lake Entrance Rd from Warilla. Dec 2004.