Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway upgrade APRIL 2013 FINAL CONCEPT DESIGN AND ROAD BOUNDARIES The concept design and road boundaries for the future upgrade of the Great Western Highway between Mount Victoria and Lithgow have now been completed. This community update provides details about the concept design and road boundaries. Background The community and stakeholder feedback received is summarised in the Mount Victoria to Lithgow Concept The Australian Government in partnership with the Design Community and Stakeholder Feedback Report New South Wales Government has committed which is available on our website. $250 million as part of the Nation Building Program to upgrade the Great Western Highway between Mount Victoria and Lithgow. Final concept design Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) started the project development process in 2008 with the project The concept design has been refined in announcement. Since then RMS has worked closely response to issues raised during community and with the community and stakeholders to complete the stakeholder consultation. The changes include: concept design. • The number of water quality basins has been In July 2012, the Australian and New South Wales reduced on local roads. governments announced a revised investment program • The curve of the highway near Fernhill has that included completing the concept design and road been improved. boundaries for the highway upgrade between Mount • An area has been provided for buses to drop- Victoria and Lithgow. off and pick-up instead of a roundabout at Old RMS has now completed the concept design. The Bathurst Road, South Bowenfels. road boundaries have been refined, based on the final • A u-turn bay has been provided instead concept design, and will be provided to councils for of a roundabout at Mudgee Street, South future land use planning. Bowenfels. The final concept design and road boundaries are • The u-turn bay at Baaners Lane, Little available for viewing on our website Hartley, has been moved 100 metres further www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roadprojects. down the lane. Hartley Historic Site, Darling Causeway and Community feedback about the heavy vehicle rest areas, all received strong concept design community and stakeholder interest. More The proposed concept design and road boundaries for information is included on the map shown on the future upgrade were placed on public display for pages 2 and 3. comment in July 2012. Extensive feedback was received from the local and wider community and stakeholders. This feedback has been considered in completing the concept design and road boundaries. 1 Great Western Highway upgrade between Mount Victoria and Lithgow - Final concept design t HASSANS e e r WALLS t BELL S w R o e g Hartley Historic Site e e h e t g i d L y d In response to community feedback u T C o T h r M about potential impacts on the B e O G e a l G ap e th d r Hartley Historic Site, R RMS has k R u e o o rst M a a c FORTY agreed that the serviced road will no a d K t a W R BENDS k n longer provide for through traffic, nor SOUTH o e e e a s e s r d F t pass the Royal Hotel. This would C BOWENFELS a e l B l r s minimise impacts on heritage. n s d o n a w B H a o o More information can be found in e m x R i k n g e c k s the Concept Design Completion s e a h l e C C w r a ReportB on our website. r r C e y e e Pitts Lane k e s k n a Hartley Vale Road m Lett HARTLEY k er c iv la R VALE RIVER B Whites Creek B LETT F r Finnigans Creek r o HILL a w n n k s s G Forty Bends upgrade P l a a c p This upgrade will be the first e R section of the concept design to be o a Fields Ro a d constructed. For design details d Darling Causeway refer to the Forty Bends Review of ad o d R oa Community feedback indicated a preference for a Environmental Factors and the s y R ve tle nolan C a ar connection between Darling Causeway and the Forty Bends Submissions Report Je H HARTLEY Mid Great Western Highway to reduce heavy vehicles ll on our website. o r e r travelling through Mount Victoria. e r v v i i a r R D C d Waltons Road In response, RMS has developed an option to e GLENROY a s o provide a connection for vehicles travellingo R r G p between Katoomba and Bells Line of Road. More a G information can be found in the Concept Design s n w Completion Report on our website. A o M r m o B u b n e t Y D r o m r k a R r e o l r i n Heavy vehicle rest areas e LITTLE a g d Fairy Dell Creek D HARTLEY K C Locations of eastbound and westbound r i e v a e r BLUE MOUNTAINS heavy vehicle rest areas were Bu o u e tl s e s e n r NATIONAL PARK previously identified. In response to s e w C n a La ree e y s k community feedback the layout would r C C e o n r be designed to minimise impact. x a e s a e R k B iv e r r e R v o i a k R d e s e r x MOUNT o C C VICTORIA e n y o LEGEND M oa d R s ll Great Western Highway concept design a F a W i Existing highway/service road r i o l t s c o i Other roads n V s Waterways G u l l Bridge/overpass/viaduct y Tunnel For more detailed plans refer to the Rail To S concept design on our website y d 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0km n www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roadprojects e y SOLDIERS PINCH 2 3 What happens next? Concept design reports The road boundaries will be provided to Lithgow City Further detailed information on the final concept design Council and Blue Mountains City Council for inclusion in can be found within the Mount Victoria to Lithgow their local environmental plans. This will assist in future Concept Design Completion Report. land use planning along the Great Western Highway. The Community and Stakeholder Feedback Report and The road boundaries currently accommodate options the Completion Report are available on our website developed for the Hartley Historic Site, heavy vehicle www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roadprojects. rest areas and the Darling Causeway connection. Assessment and selection of options will be undertaken when funding is made available for the project to proceed. The community and stakeholders will be consulted at that time. Project announcement (2008) Mount Victoria to Lithgow Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade Great Western Highway Upgrade Identify corridors (2008) Concept design Concept design Completion report Community and stakeholder feedback report April 2013 April 2013 Preferred corridor (2009) The final concept design can be viewed at the Route option development following locations until the end of May 2013: (2009-2010) Blue Mountains City Council 2-6 Civic Place Preferred route (2010) Katoomba NSW 2780 Field investigations, corridor studies Lithgow City Council (2011-2012) 180 Mort Street Lithgow NSW 2790 Independent review of project (2011-2012) Thank you Concept design display (2012) The interest and involvement from community THE PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS THE PLANNING WE members and stakeholders is greatly appreciated Final concept design (2013) ARE by the project team. Local knowledge shared by the HERE community and stakeholders has made a valuable contribution to the final concept design. Reserve road boundaries on local environmental plans (2013) RMS will continue to keep the community informed of any future developments about the project. Planning approval and construction of Forty Bends This paper is • carbon neutral DELIVERY upgrade (2013-2016) • Australian made • recycled fibre • elemental chlorine free • pulp derived from sustainably managed sources For more information: Please note new mail and email address for the project. 1800 035 733 [email protected] Katoomba to Lithgow, PO Box 334, Parkes, NSW 2870 4 RMS 13.219.