Highway News Updates

20 July 2016.

This is Seymour Whyte’s response to questions put to them by the community at the HDPA Meeting in June, 2016.

It comes as a separate document which can be accessed here.

More information on the overall plans & progress of the Forty Bends Project can be found here.  This link will also lead to other documents concerning this project.

 Safety Upgrade Completion Date set for 2017

The Roads and Maritime Services Department has not updated it’s information pages for the Forty Bends to Mt Victoria roadworks since December 2014  when this brochure was distributed  throughout the valley: http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/projects/western-nsw/katoomba-lithgow/forty-bends-community-update-dec-2014.pdf

Their webpage for the project  is: http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/western-nsw/katoomba-lithgow/index.html   , but nothing has been added since  massive roadwork commenced.

(Noted on 18th August, 2015)

From the Lithgow Mercury 5th July 2014

IN the latest development in the long running saga of the Mt Victoria to Lithgow highway upgrade, state and federal representatives joined forces this week to confirm an imminent $70 million outlay on upgrades.
The proposed work falls far short of the highway deviation through Hartley Valley that has been the subject of a great deal of debate in recent years but involves extensive safety upgrades.
Federal Member for Calare John Cobb and NSW Minister for Roads and Freight Duncan Gay met the media at River Lett Hill on Thursday to announce the approval of a $70 million safety upgrade of the Great Western Highway.
Mr Cobb said this funding forms part of the Australian and NSW Governments eventual $250 million Great Western Highway upgrade from Katoomba to Lithgow.
“These works are important for the Hartley Valley and Lithgow communities, as well as those from the Central West who regularly drive the Great Western Highway to Sydney,” Mr Cobb said.
“The Hartley Valley section of the Great Western Highway handles nearly 1000 vehicles per day with heavy vehicles making up 16 per cent of this figure.
“This $70 million in funding will be spent on a number of locations around Hartley Valley where safety issues have been identified.”
Minister Gay said the announcement was another reminder how the NSW Liberals and Nationals are working together to deliver infrastructure communities expect and deserve.
“There were 103 crashes on this section of the Great Western Highway between 2009 and 2013 at great social and economic cost to the region and NSW more broadly,” Mr Gay said.
“Constructing turning bays, access roadways to nearby properties and lane extensions will improve safety for travellers and improve traffic flows along this road.”
Work will commence later this year and will be completed in mid-2017, weather permitting.
THE key features of the highway work are:
•  SAFETY works over 10km from the bottom of Victoria Pass to the eastern end of the Forty Bends.
• INTERSECTION improvements at Coxs River Road, Ambermere Drive, Baaners Lane, Browns Gap Road, Jenolan Caves Road, Blackmans Creek Road, Mid Hartley Road, Carroll Drive and Old Bathurst Road.
• CARRIAGEWAY realignment from River Lett Hill to Forty Bends.
• TURNING bays and better access to properties.
• EXTENSION of downhill overtaking lanes at River Lett.
The project is being fast tracked to link up with the previously announced realignment work scheduled for the Forty Bends

Late in November 2013 the Hartley Community was advised that:

The web site for the upgrade of the Great Western Highway between Katoomba and Lithgow has now been updated.  The Reviews of the Environmental Factors and community updates for Mount Victoria village and Hartley Valley safety upgrades are now available on the web site.  Click here to view the website.

Please study this plan carefully as issues regarding right hand turn access from Jenolan Caves Road and Old Bathurst Road (from the Historic Village) have already been expressed at the December 2013 HDPA meeting. We have until 7th February to make submissions to the RMS about our concerns. This is basically a good plan but it still has its faults.

  Proposed installation of Heavy Vehicle point-to-point average speed cameras and associated infrastructure on the Great Western Highway.

In response to community concerns Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is proposing to install heavy vehicle point-to-point cameras between Mount Victoria and River Lett Hill.

RMS is committed to reducing the number of fatalities and serious injuries caused by speeding and  is considering installing the following infrastructure:

• New heavy vehicle point-to-point cameras and infrared flash devices are proposed to be installed in the road corridor of the Great Western Highway, 18 to 30 kilometres west of Katoomba. The new cameras would be installed on a gantry structure on the top of Victoria Pass and the bottom curve of the pass. A cantilever structure is proposed for between Hartley and River Lett Hill.  These structures will overhang the highway.

• Concrete foundations for the gantry or cantilever structures will also need to be built. Two smoke blue coloured roadside cabinets will be incorporated on top of the foundations and within 2.5 metres of the proposed gantry post. Digital cameras, and the housings for the infrared flash devices, will be mounted on the structure which will be 7.5 metres high and 1.45 metres wide.  The structure will consist of a galvanised steel gantry arrangement. The proposed infrastructure may or may not be in clear view of your property.

• Safety barriers will be installed on both sides of the highway. These barriers are to protect the motorists from striking the gantry structure’s support post and also to prevent truck drivers from avoiding detection by the cameras.

• A variable message sign (VMS) and fixed speed camera would be installed onto the proposed gantry structures.

It is anticipated work would not adversely impact on current access to roads or adjacent properties.

Work on this project is expected to start in late 2013.

According  to Craig Steyn at RMS, the cantilever structure will be placed 80-100 metres east of the existing camera and west of River Lett Bridge. It will be 5-10 metres west of the 80 kph sign west of the bridge. (See links to map and photos below)

Roads & Maritime Services

15-33 Cooerwull Road,  Bowenfels NSW 2790

T 02 6861 1444 |  F 02 6352 8915  |  E  western.projects@rms.nsw.gov.au www.rms.nsw.gov.au

• Highway News From The Lithgow Mercury

Technology Will Mean Safer Road Barriers

Feb. 19, 2013

ROADS Minister Duncan Gay and Member for Bathurst Paul Toole have announced the extension of a trial of high resolution paint to better highlight bends at night on the central concrete barrier on the Great Western Highway.

“Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) started a trial of white arrows to mark the central concrete barrier on the bottom curve at Victoria Pass in November last year,” Mr Gay said.

“These arrows are made up of paintwork incorporating high resolution beads which capture the light.

“A similar trial using the technology will take place to highlight two curves for east bound traffic at River Lett Hill on the Great Western Highway, between Lithgow and Hartley.

“The trial will involve the use of yellow arrows to determine whether yellow or white better improve safety for motorists,” Mr Gay said.

Mr Toole said this is the first time line marking technology has been used on central concrete barriers and could be used to improve safety in other areas.

“The markings highlight the central concrete barrier providing a clear indication of the curve in the road.

“This will improve safety for motorists travelling at night and reduce the likelihood of crashes and that’s good news for all road users,” Mr Toole said.