IT'S enough to drive you round the bend - struck by a call of nature while in a traffic jam and not a loo within cooee.
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It's a familiar scenario for thousands of motorists who head south for long weekends and holidays, only to find themselves trapped on the Kiama Bends with a queue of traffic ahead.
And when one is stuck in a 10-kilometre traffic jam, as happened last Easter, and one needs a restroom, what does one do?
According to Kiama Council, many desperate motorists have taken to knocking on the door of at least one nearby home pleading to use the loo.
The council is now looking at options to provide some relief by placing temporary toilet facilities within the Roads and Maritime Services rest area at Mount Pleasant, further south at Gerringong and at other locations during holidays.
The council's director of engineering and works Bryan Whittaker said the council, RMS and NSW Police were discussing how to resolve the traffic gridlock.
While the nightmare holiday and weekend traffic conditions are expected to ease when the $329 million Princes Highway upgrade at Gerringong is completed in mid-2015, motorists still face 12 months of traffic problems in the interim.
Meanwhile, motorists have been advised of changed traffic conditions at the Belinda Street and Fern Street intersections, as work continues on the Gerringong upgrade.
Member for Kiama Gareth Ward said that night work will take place until Thursday, June 5, weather permitting, to lay large drainage pipes underneath the road and build the road to protect the Princes Highway and Belinda Street from localised flooding.
"Motorists can still drive into and out of Gerringong during the temporary closure by using Fern Street. Northbound motorists should use the Rose Valley Road U-turn bay to access Fern Street."
Outside of the night closures Belinda Street will be returned to one lane in each direction.
"Work is also progressing on the Fern Street bridge," Mr Ward said.
"From Tuesday, June 10, motorists travelling south on the Princes Highway will be moved onto a temporary section of road to the east of the existing highway near Fern Street.
"There will also be a temporary closure of the intersection of the Princes Highway and Fern Street."
The Fern Street intersection will remain open to traffic outside the night work.