Wollongong City Council's vision for a connected West Dapto continues to take shape, with upgrade works to Fowlers Road between Fairwater Drive and Cleveland Road now complete.
Forming Stage 1 of the Cleveland Road upgrade, works included road-widening, a new shared path, stormwater works, street lighting and tree planting to improve access for traffic and pedestrians.
Upgrading access roads is an essential part of Council's West Dapto Access Strategy to ensure the rapidly growing community in this key urban release area is well connected by efficient road and pedestrian infrastructure.
Completion of the project — jointly funded by Wollongong City Council and a $20.03 million contribution from the NSW Government for the broader Cleveland Road upgrade - is another major step toward securing Wollongong's housing future.
"We know that action on housing is a high-priority issue for our community and demand is only increasing in a rapidly growing area at West Dapto" Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said.
"In meeting this demand, we can't focus purely on housing. We need to ensure essential road and traffic infrastructure is carefully planned and considered to link new community to town centres and, obviously to major highways.
"We're grateful to the NSW Government for the funding support to deliver these upgrades and continue realising our vision for West Dapto in the years to come."
Works carried out include road widening from two to four travel lanes, full kerb and gutter construction, construction of stormwater drainage and street lighting, and construction of a new shared path on the eastern side of the road.
"The Minns Government's contribution of $20 million to the upgrade of Cleveland Road has made this important project possible," Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said.
"This is the sort of infrastructure that people expect to support new homes but over the last decade has been sadly lacking. The Minns Government is investing an average of $80 million a day to build the infrastructure needed to support housing and jobs growth, including the upgrades to Cleveland Road which will support additional housing growth."
Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson echoed the sentiment.
"The completion of upgrade works to Fowlers Road marks another significant milestone in delivering the essential infrastructure the West Dapto community needs and deserves," Ms Watson said.
"As this area continues to grow, it's vital we invest in safer, more efficient roads and better connections for families, commuters and local businesses.
"The NSW Government's $20.03 million contribution towards this project demonstrates our commitment to partnering with Wollongong City Council to support housing growth with the infrastructure to match.
"These upgrades, including additional lanes, improved stormwater drainage, street lighting and a new shared path, will make a real difference to daily life for residents."
As we put the finishing touches on this first stage of Cleveland Road, Council's major upgrade to nearby West Dapto Road continues. In late July 2025, we began a temporary closure of the road between Shone Avenue and Rainbird Drive for the major project.
Works have focused on preparing the site for road widening, including vegetation removal, demolition of minor structures, extensive underground services modifications and relocations, widening of an existing stormwater box culvert and earthworks on the northern side of the road.
On its current trajectory, West Dapto Road remains on track to reopen to vehicle traffic mid-2026 subject to weather and other conditions. While the road closures are in place, local businesses can still be accessed via the alternate routes.
