On Friday morning an Ulladulla man lost his life on a notorious stretch of road at Jerrawangala. 

He was someone’s friend, family member, neighbour and colleague. So, too, was the young woman killed in the same collision. Two lives lost, many others affected. 

We don’t know the cause of the accident but clearly one vehicle crossed into the path of another. Was the driver distracted or asleep? We’ll leave that to the coroner.

Read more: ‘Drive to the conditions’ - police plea after two killed in South Coast crash

What we do know is had the lanes been separated – or, better still, the highway duplicated – there’s every likelihood no one would have died.

This week we heard a call from South Coast MP Shelley Hancock for the federal government to recognise the Princes Highway as a road of national significance. This status is what enabled extensive upgrades on the Pacific Highway in northern NSW. 

Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis said she would push Canberra to elevate the highway’s status so it qualified for increased federal funding. This would be easier once the Pacific Highway work was complete, she said.

To both, I say we cannot wait any longer while your governments get their acts together.

All us who travel the road regularly are quite frankly sick and tired of hearing all the excuses about why improvements cannot be made as a matter of urgency.

We know in terms of road safety the highway between the Jervis Bay turnoff and Milton is one of the worst stretches in the state. 

We know saving lives ought to be the priority for every level of government. 

We cannot understand why two questionable stadium rebuilds in Sydney somehow have a greater priority than improving our part of the highway. If people have to queue for the loo watching a footy match, how is that a more urgent priority than fixing a road that routinely costs lives? Two billion dollars would buy a lot of highway improvement.

Likewise, how is splurging billions on questionable corporate tax cuts more pressing than saving lives? 

Surely this is about more than money. It’s about people like us, our friends, family and neighbours. And it’s urgent. 

For all our sakes, just get on with it.