The New South Wales government has revealed crucial safety works along the notorious Macquarie Pass have gotten underway.
The $9.6 million work project has started this week to deliver new and improved essential infrastructure for Kiama and passing freight traffic.
This essential upgrade will include the delivery of wider lanes and new safety barriers, improving key sections at the top and near the bottom of the busy Illawarra Highway,
Once completed these upgrades will improve travel conditions for the 4,000 drivers who use this road daily. Further it will increase community resilience and reduce the risk of closures on the steep route following unprecedented wet weather as has been recently experienced locally.
“This funding is about making regional roads safer, more reliable and fairer, ensuring local communities get their fair share of road maintenance investment,” NSW roads and regional transport minister Jenny Aitchison says.
“Macquarie Pass is a critical corridor for local commuters, freight operators and the tourism sector.
“These safety upgrades will provide a safer road environment and are key to ensuring the resilience of this route.
“Work carried out on the Pass is complex due to the steep terrain of the site, slope stability
challenges and the tight work areas that limit worker and vehicle access.
“The design and schedule have been developed to achieve maximum results while minimising impacts to the community wherever possible. We appreciate the community’s patience while this work is carried out.”
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The first phase of work will be at the 200 metre stretch between the top two hairpin bends, a narrow and winding section of road frequently affected by severe weather and slope instability. $7.5 million in upgrades will see three-metre-wide travel lanes in both directions, as well as new kerbs and safety barriers, making it safer and easier for motorists to navigate the top bends.
To stabilise the slope, long steel rods (known as soil nails) will be drilled into the embankment. A heavy-duty mesh and concrete spray (shotcrete) will then be applied to prevent further deterioration and reduce the risk of unplanned closures.
An additional $2.1 million under the NSW government’s Towards Zero Safer Roads program will allow safety improvements to be carried out about 900 metres up from the Cascade Falls Picnic Area.
Work will include installing a widened centre line along a 300-metre section, minor slope stabilisation and drainage upgrades to improve safety for road users.
This builds on the state government’s investment of $3 million in accelerated funding to fill potholes and undertake road repairs, which has brought road maintenance investment in Kiama to over $35 million this year.
Night works are occurring from 8pm to 4am, Sunday to Thursday. The project is expected to take up to six months to complete, weather permitting. For the safety of workers and motorists, Macquarie Pass will be closed between Tongarra Mine Road and Mount Murray Road during work hours and detours will be in place that add 10 minutes for light vehicles.
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