Hillsborough Road campaigners Michael Nolan and Wendy Marr rejoice after $35 million committed to upgrade the road

In that time there have been fatalities, massive increases in traffic, but little progress towards helping ease congestion.

"The road just isn't big enough for the purpose, the population has grown but the road hasn't changed," Ms Marr said.

That all changed this week when the state government announced $35 million towards the first stage of upgrades to the road, from Crockett Street to Barker Avenue. This budget allocated $2.9 million and $10.9 million has been earmarked over the next four years.

Fellow resident Michael Nolan has been on the government's case about the matter for about seven years. He said there was certainly champagne popped after the budget announcement this week.

"I think you could hear the rapturous applause of the 35,000 motorists who use the road every day, not to mention the people of Hillsborough as well," he said. "We're absolutely thrilled it has been listed as priority."

The pair headed up a working group to lobby for road improvements and between them sent countless emails, letters and other correspondence to the government. Replies would say there's no funding, or there wouldn't be a reply at all.

All the while residents were dealing with long waits to even exit their suburb onto Hillsborough Road, and near misses from people rushing in the heavy traffic.

"Once you go through the bowtie towards Warners Bay the traffic just stops where it goes from two lanes to one," Ms Marr said.

"It's all day too, you might be able to get straight out about 12ish some days but that's it."

"It's a nightmare, its a main arterial road but was never designed to be," Mr Nolan said.

Mr Nolan said every resident had a story from driving on Hillsborough Road - his own being seven years ago while his mum was undergoing chemotherapy.

"We were on our way to treatment and someone flying along Hillsborough Road nearly took us out," he said.

"Mum was fighting for her life and we could have been taken out by a road never designed properly."

Mr Nolan said residents had taken a deep breath after the news, but now the attention would turn to ensuring the money promised is spent and that works are done as quickly as possible.

"Don't just plan, they've had business case after business case, we're hoping the money is put to good use straight away," he said.

Ms Marr said while the funding was welcomed, she would have liked to have seen more than $2.9 million for the first year.

"It's a small amount but it's a start," she said.

Transport for NSW is planning for stages two, from Higham Road to the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, and three, Crockett Street to Higham Road. The full upgrade will deliver the duplication of about 1.8 kilometres of Hillsborough Road and traffic lights at Crockett and Chadwick streets.

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