Blue Mountains highway fix possible, but timeframe unclear

Repair of a critical highway through the Blue Mountains will be possible, eliminating the possibility of a more costly alternative route, but the timing of the repair will depend on the exact solution that experts will decide.

A. Extension of the Great Western Highway The Victoria Causeway has been closed indefinitely since March 12 after engineers discovered serious cracks and ground movements in the stone causeway built by convicts nearly 200 years ago.

Geotechnical tests carried out last month revealed that the bedrock beneath the gorge remained intact, but the stones and other rocks above it used as fill between two sandstone walls had deteriorated significantly, resulting in cavities and cavities within the structure.

Serious cracks and defects in the road and swelling of the sandstone walls put the gorge at risk of collapse.

Findings from geotechnical investigations will be used to find solutions to the closed section of the highway used by up to 12,000 vehicles per day.

Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said the geotechnical study confirmed the underlying bedrock remained intact, meaning the government could focus on repairing the damaged section and reopening it as soon as possible.

“We know we can renew the road in alignment. This will save a significant amount of time. It will mean we won’t have to find another route,” he said.

Aitchison again refused to put a timeframe on how long the motorway would remain closed, but Premier Chris Minns had previously acknowledged the motorway would require a “complex rebuild” and “it won’t be quick”.

“It’s obviously going to take longer than three months, but I’m not going to put a number there because that would be irresponsible,” Aitchison said on Friday. “We want to have a solution and that will determine the timeframe.”

He said the government wanted top engineers and other experts to provide options to “restore access to be in line rather than trying to rebuild the causeway.”

Motorists forced to endure high fuel prices due to the Iran war are being forced to use the Darling Pass and Chifley Road a 25-minute detour, putting financial pressure on business owners who rely on traffic.

NSW Coalition leader Kellie Sloane said residents and businesses disrupted by the closure deserved a timely response from the government about how long repairs would take and assurances about the support they would receive if the problem was not fixed soon.

“There is no clarity on how long these repairs will take,” he said.

Blue Mountains Labor Mayor Mark Greenhill said early indications were that the pass was repairable, ruling out costly alternative arrangements such as a tunnel or a new motorway that would take years.

“If they can fix this on the spot and reopen the Great Western Highway more quickly, that would be a much better outcome,” he said.

Greenhill said financial support for businesses severely disrupted by the failure of a state government-owned road remained unresolved. “In my opinion, the state needs to take action on this issue,” he said.

Aitchison acknowledged the negative impact the highway closure would have on local people and businesses in the Blue Mountains and Mid-West who rely on the main road to Sydney.

“We are working on what kind of assistance can be provided, but as the minister of roads, my priority is to repair the route as soon as possible,” he said.

Adding to the woes for local businesses, another road in the Blue Mountains, the Mount Wilson Trail, has also been closed to visitors since April 3 due to increased safety risks following severe weather.

Greenhill said he hoped the council could repair Mount Wilson Road, which connects to the Bells Road Line, within two months.

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