Work is being carried out by Roads and Maritime Services (formerly the RTA) on a $450,000 extension to the westbound merge lane starting on Kosciuszko Road and extending into Barry Way.

The roadworks are just outside the Snowy Mountains Grammar School. It will extend the merge lane by about 200 metres.

Member for Monaro John Barilaro said the lane extension would allow vehicles to merge more freely, reducing congestion, especially during the snow season when traffic increased enormously.

Weather permitting, work should be completed in March.

The “congestion” referred to by Mr Barilaro involved a controversial Saturday in August 2010 when police conducted random breath tests (RBTs) at the location where resortbound lanes merged, resulting in a major traffic jam.

Vehicles took up to two hours to travel from East Jindabyne to the Grammar School.

At the time, snow-related businesses in Jindabyne reported plummeting trade on what they said should have been the busiest day of the season.

Resorts at Perisher, Thredbo and Charlotte Pass, in addition to Tourism Snowy Mountains, issued public statements asking people to contact the state government demanding improved roads. They also wanted better forethought when planning RBTs.

A Thredbo spokesperson said at the time that 100 casual staff could not get to work and lost wages.

A Perisher spokesperson had said some inbound tourists turned back and demanded refunds. Setting up the RBT had been similar to the previous two years.

The RBT resulted in two drink drivers and four drivers being investigated for drugs.

Following the controversy police agreed to review when and where RBTs would be conducted and the RTA also reviewed the situation.

Mr Barilaro said this week the roadwork included earthworks, extensions to large drains under the road, kerb and gutter work and a new footpath.

Work in front of the school driveway would be completed before the end of the school holidays.