Source : Perth Now news
Two significant regions have had their most important linking road severed following a NSW government decision to close down the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass for at least three months, in a major blow for commuters, townships and businesses.
The decision comes following the announcement that a “major geotechnical failure” had been uncovered underneath the Great Western Highway at Mitchell’s Causeway, just northwest of Mount Victoria.
The closure of the road means that most traffic coming to and from central and western NSW, a major agricultural heartland, will be funnelled through Chifley Road, a single-lane road not generally associated with heavy traffic.
NSW Roads and Regional Transport Minister Jenny Aitchison said the situation was “incredibly serious” and “not a short-term repair job”.
“I know this closure is causing real hardship for families, workers, school communities, freight operators and local businesses,” Ms Aitchison said.
“This is not a short-term repair job. We are dealing with a major geotechnical failure on a fragile and historic section of road, and it must be assessed and repaired properly,” she said.
“There will be no shortcuts on safety – we will not risk lives. We will do all the work that is required to restore this essential link between the Blue Mountains and Central West. We will keep the community informed – we cannot reopen this road until it is safe.”
Transport for NSW has announced a number of alternative transport routes including increased frequency of train departures between Bathurst and Mount Victoria from March 15.
Other services will include a “fully accessible” coach service between Bathurst and Katoomba running twelve times a day (six in each direction), which will stop in Katoomba, Mount Victoria, Lithgow and Bathurst, and amended school bus routes.
More to come.
