Decent highway one step closer
THERE may be some medium-term relief in sight for Dubbo motorists travelling to and from Sydney.
After years of road budgets heavily prioritising highways such as the Pacific and Hume, the state and federal governments are now committing funding towards “congestion-busting improvements to the journey over the Blue Mountains”.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael Mccormack said the commonwealth is turbocharging the Great Western Highway Upgrade with a $2.03 billion funding contribution, announced in the 202122 Budget.
Mr Mccormack said construction on the upgrade between Katoomba and Lithgow is on track to start next year.
“The Australian Government is backing in the plan to transform the Great Western Highway, because we know what a difference this landmark project will make each and every day to communities in the Blue Mountains and west of the Divide,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“This project will end the gridlock and deliver safer, more reliable journeys along the highway.”
The state’s regional roads minister Paul Toole said the upgrade is already taking shape.
“This is the last major highway out of Sydney that’s not dual-carriageway, and that’s not good enough for the thousands of motorists from Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Central West who use it,” Mr Toole said.
“The NSW Government has put $2.5 billion on the table to transform journeys along the Great Western Highway – and with the Australian Government’s $2 billion funding boost for the East and West sections, a project that has been put in the ‘too hard’ basket for far too long is fast coming to life and will see shovels in the ground at the end of next year.
“The NSW Government is also pushing ahead with work on the Central section including investigations into building Australia’s longest road tunnel from Blackheath to Little Hartley, cutting out the Victoria Pass and Blackheath gridlocks during peak hours.”
Calare MP Andrew Gee said the federal government is committed to improving
access between Sydney and the Central West as people continue to move to and visit regional NSW, and regional businesses enjoy a boom in productivity.
“A strong, reliable and safe connection over the Mountains is critical to ensure more people can travel to and from regional NSW for work and tourism,” Mr Gee said.
“That’s why the Australian Government has invested in the East and West sections, which will be the first to kick off with designs to be released to the community in coming weeks – which means motorists will benefit sooner.”