Have your say on Katoomba to Blackheath Great Western Highway upgrade

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the upgrade, which includes widening the highway to deliver dual lanes in both directions, would ease congestion between Katoomba and Blackheath, with a safer alignment and more opportunities to overtake slow-moving traffic.

“The Great Western Highway upgrade will improve safety for the thousands of people living in and travelling through the Blue Mountains on the highway every day,” Mr Toole said.

“The plans include new concrete twin bridges over the valley from Pulpit Hill near Explorers Road, upgraded intersections at Nellies Glen Road, Explorers Road and Foy Avenue, and an upgrade of the Great Blue Mountains Trail to improve active transport connections between Katoomba and Medlow Bath.

“This is a heavy traffic route to the Blue Mountains villages of Medlow Bath, Blackheath and Mount Victoria, and then onto the Central West, so it’s important we take on community feedback to ensure we deliver an upgrade locals want and need.”

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said the release of the REF and concept plan was an important milestone in the duplication of the highway’s capacity between Katoomba and Lithgow.

“I urge community members to have their say on these plans which will see thousands of road users benefit daily from the planned improvements,” Mr Farraway said.

“We have listened to the community’s concerns about having enough time to provide their feedback and the REF will go on display for 36 days from Sunday, 15 May, to Sunday, 19 June.

“Hard copies are available from the foyer of the Katoomba Council headquarters, the Glenbrook Visitor Information Centre, Springwood Library and Blaxland Library, or online in our virtual consultation room at nswroads.work/gwheastconsult.”

Together, the Australian and NSW Governments have committed more than $2.5 billion towards the East and West sections of the Great Western Highway Upgrade, between Katoomba and Blackheath, and between Little Hartley and Lithgow, respectively.

Key features

The Katoomba to Blackheath stretch of the upgrade has been split into two sections - from Rowan Lane, Katoomba to Bellevue Crescent, Medlow Bath and from Station Street, Medlow Bath to Tennyson Road, Blackheath.

Katoomba to Medlow Bath:

• Widening about 3.5 kilometres of highway to provide two lanes in each direction between Rowan Lane in Katoomba and Bellevue Crescent in Medlow Bath.
• Connections to the Medlow Bath upgrade section.
• New concrete twin bridges over the valley from Pulpit Hill near Explorers Road about 400 metre long.
• Upgrading intersections at Nellies Glen Road, Explorers Road and Foy Avenue.
• Improving visitor parking and expansion of the Pulpit Hill heritage interpretation area.
• A new eastbound truck stopping area near Explorers Road.
• Upgrading the Great Blue Mountains Trail to improve active transport connections between Katoomba and Medlow Bath.
• New bus stops at Nellies Glen Road (westbound), Explorers Road (eastbound) and Foy Avenue.

Medlow Bath to Blackheath:

• Widening about 1.8 kilometres of highway to provide two lanes in each direction between Station Street in Medlow Bath and Tennyson Road in Blackheath.
• Extending a new link with the Great Blue Mountains Trail alongside the National Park and Great Western Highway between Medlow Bath and Blackheath.
• A new westbound truck stopping area about one kilometre west of Medlow Bath.

Information sessions

• Face-to-face information sessions for everyone in the community will be held at:
  • Hartley Community Hall (Wednesday 18 May, 6pm-8pm)
  • Katoomba Cultural Centre (Wednesday 25 May, 4:30pm - 8pm) and
  • Blackheath Neighbourhood Centre (Saturday 4 June, 10am - 12pm).
• Online sessions will be held on Monday 23 May and Thursday 9 June at 6:30pm.

To register for the online sessions, go to nswroads.work/gwheastconsult where you can also view an animation of the proposal and click through to make a formal submission online.

Submissions can also be made by email: gwhd@transport.nsw.gov.au, or by post: Transport for NSW, Katoomba to Blackheath (East) REF Submission, PO Box 334, Parkes NSW 2870.