Temporary drainage and maintenance works on The Wool Road at Old Erowal Bay have begun, providing a short-term solution until funding is secured for permanent remediation.
The damaged section of road near Mernie Street has deteriorated due to groundwater issues and severe weather over several years.
Director City Services, Kevin Norwood said temporary asphalt patching was necessary to ensure The Wool Road remains safe, while Council considers budget allocations for a broader, more permanent fix.
"Funding road renewal and maintenance continues to be one of Council's biggest challenges," Mr Norwood said.
"While these works are not a permanent fix, at a fraction of the cost we will be able to reduce immediate risks to road users," he said.
The section of The Wool Road at the top of the hill near Mernie Street intersection was last constructed in the 1980s, although works to widen the road and provide a right turn lane have been undertaken recently.
A comprehensive inspection report of Shoalhaven's roads in 2025 revealed the condition of the region's 1,906 km of roads and the cost to renew the network.
The data collected indicates that 133km (7%) of the road network have very poor underlying pavement conditions which are compromising the overall health of the road. This represents a ballpark cost of $133 million to reconstruct those roads.
An additional 95 km (5%) of roads are in a poor condition and require reconstruction before deteriorating further, at an estimated cost of $95 million, along with approximately 570 km of roads that need the surface replaced at an estimated cost of $54.1 million.
The condition report is being used to cost and prioritise road works, plan and advocate for funding.
Temporary maintenance works on the portion of The Wool Road near the Mernie Street intersection will be carried out in June and conducted at night or outside peak traffic times to minimise disruption.
