The Cessnock Ring Road project - which is included in council's 2018 Traffic and Transport Strategy - would include the construction of bypasses from Bellbird to Aberdare and Nulkaba to East Cessnock, a 23.5-kilometre project estimated at $95.2 million.

The project is designed to alleviate the traffic issues which have been compounded by population growth in the city's west, including new housing developments at Bellbird and Millfield.

A concept design, including a review of the traffic and transport strategy, has been estimated at $925,000.

Council voted 9-1 at its May meeting that a report be brought back in July, outlining ways to reprioritise projects to allow the concept design works to be completed in its 2021-22 operational plan.

Labor's mayoral candidate Jay Suvaal has since launched a petition seeking support to fast-track the project, saying a plan was urgently needed so council can seek state and federal funding.

"So much positive development has occurred in our city in recent years, but the by-product is that the traffic nightmare along Wollombi and Maitland roads is increasing," Cr Suvaal said.

"With thousands of more homes being built in the Bellbird North Precinct, unless a solution is implemented, congestion will likely get even worse.

"The ring road won't be cheap and council will need federal and state government funding.

"But council can't apply for money until they have a more detailed design proposal, and that also costs money."

Independent councillor Ian Olsen was the sole opponent to the motion at the May meeting, saying council was "jumping the gun" by allocating money towards a plan for a project that it may never be able to afford.

"My problem is that we are taking nearly $1 million out (of our budget) to do this study, which will possibly not achieve anything in the next five years," Cr Olsen said.

"While our road network is getting bottled up, I think we'd be better off spending that million dollars on doing something to improve the flow of traffic from Bellbird to East Cessnock rather than spending it on a concept plan that might not happen in my lifetime.

"We still have to upgrade our road from Bellbird to East Cessnock, because people aren't all going to go around the ring road. They're still going to use Wollombi Road and Maitland Road, they're still going to come into town to shop, they're still going to take their kids to school and they're still going to live their lives.

"I don't think we will ever get the money for it, and it will just sit there on the shelf for many, many years."

Cr Suvaal said getting this project "shovel-ready" will be one of his key priorities if he is elected mayor.

"As a West Cessnock local, I deal with the nightmare of turning out onto Wollombi Road just like everyone else. I've had so many residents talk to me about the need to fix it, and I'm listening to their calls," he said.

Cr Suvaal's fellow Ward A candidates, James Hawkins and Logan Templeton, have thrown their support behind the petition.

"Without an endorsed plan we don't stand a change of getting funding to fix this," Mr Hawkins said.

"This is about saving people time each day in their commute - time that they would prefer to be spending with their families, but unfortunately have to spend it stuck in traffic."

Ms Templeton lives in Bellbird and drives on Wollombi Road almost every day.

"I know how bad traffic congestion gets and council needs to have a plan ready to do something about it," she said.

"With thousands of more homes being built in Bellbird right now, the ring road is crucial for the future growth of our city."

More than 250 people have already signed the petition, which can be viewed at jaysuvaal.com.au.