What the plan will involve (along with a map showing an overview that ends at Bell) can be viewed here.
The whole plan can be viewed in detail on the RTA/RMS website
The interesting part for Hartley residents is how it affects our Valley. It seems that fears that the Purple Corridor could be resurrected (as suggested by the Evans and Peck Report), are unfounded, but the Newnes Option, offered in past potential upgrades to the Bells Line of Road, has also been summarily dismissed!
Here’s the evidence:
RTA Long Term Strategic Corridor Plan for Bells Line of Road October 2012
chapter 7 Broad Options, Needs & Opportunities
Page 92
“7.2.2 Opportunities for improved connections to the Great Western Highway (in the Lithgow area)
The following strategic opportunities have been identified for improved connections between the Bells Line of Road corridor and the Great Western Highway in the Lithgow area:
>Use the existing road corridor through Lithgow, with traffic rationalisation where appropriate.
>Use the Darling Causeway to connect with the Great Western Highway at Mount Victoria, with upgrades to Darling Causeway and the Great Western Highway as appropriate.
Other opportunities have been considered in previous studies, including a route across the Newnes Plateau to the north of Lithgow and routes through the Hartley Valley. These previous
studies have found these routes to have limited feasibility.
The analyses conducted as part of the preparation of this Plan reaffirms these outcomes, particularly in terms of environmental constraints, and they are not regarded as strategic opportunities
for the purposes of corridor planning.”
In other words this plan is designed to get traffic moving quickly from Bilpin to Sydney but is not an effective option for crossing the Blue Mountains for residents of the Central West as they will still be forced to traverse Scenic Hill or Victoria Pass down the western escarpment and end up in the suburban streets of Lithgow before reaching a faster road as the GWH heads for Marrangaroo!
