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Transport for NSW offers these materials regarding its plans for the Great Western Highway Upgrade Program in Blackheath and surrounds.

Four Options

The original four options listed below have been reduced to a Long Tunnel option and a Short Tunnel option, with an announcement by Minister Paul Toole on October 12, 2020. 

See Centennial Glen Saved! for more details.

The original four options  are described below for historical interest. 

 

Transport for NSW originally proposed four options for duplicating the highway through Blackheath. They are summarised here with quoted extracts from the FAQ listed above, and with the Save Centennial Glen response to the option:

Why is Transport for NSW Doing This?

This question is answered on page 7 of the FAQ listed above:

"Out of the four major freight connections into Sydney from the regions, the Great Western Highway is the key east-west route. However, it is the only of the four routes limited to 19m B-Double and 20m Performance Based Standard (PBS) vehicles. Alternate routes around the Great Dividing Range use either the Hume Highway or the Golden Highway and are up to 100km longer."

Transport for NSW also believes the changes to the highway will improve congestion and reduce accidents.

Infrastructure Australia Priority List 

In February 2020, Infrastructure Australia added the Great Western Highway upgrade, as a Priority Initiative, to its Infrastructre Priority List. The Priority List has become a key reference point for governments at all levels.

 

Community Consultation

For further community consultation until November 2020, see Centennial Glen Saved!

In May 2020, Transport for NSW published this document, summarising responses to community consultation so far, and outlining the future consultation process:

Great Western Highway Upgrade Program – Katoomba to Lithgow Community Consultation Summary Report

Some key items in this document, organised by topic, include:

Consultation Responses

Current and Future Consultation

Tunnel Option