Nine sites across Lawrence Hargrave Drive and Bulli Pass were repaired as part of an intensive program. Photos: Transport for NSW.
Multi-million dollar road repairs to secure two of the region’s critical northern connections have been completed after months of work to rectify landslip damage and risk.
Five sites along Lawrence Hargrave Drive and four sites on Bulli Pass were targeted as part of the $13.5 million intensive works program for natural disaster recovery efforts.
“Over the past two years the Illawarra faced several severe weather events and record-breaking rainfall – up to six times the average,” Cunningham MP Alison Byrnes said.
“This caused havoc on our local roads and infrastructure, but the Minns and Albanese Labor Government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements saw emergency funding flow to where it was needed to get things back on track.”
Works included bags of rocks weighing the equivalent of small cars being lifted by crane to repair the northern end of the Sea Cliff Bridge in November where two landslip sites had been caused by severe weather in February.
The road and footpath at Scarborough took 12 weeks to be repaired after a section of the slope failed near the top of an 82-metre cliff.
Lightweight material was used as part of the new road base to reduce pressure on that slope.
Rectification works were also undertaken at Stanwell Park and the M1 southbound off-ramp at Helensburgh.
Bulli Pass experienced partial closures for months.
Another six-month program on Bulli Pass repaired three landslip sites between the top of the pass and the hairpin bend and another about one kilometre below the hairpin bend.
“Intense rainfall has had a devastating impact on these two roads and locals have been waiting a long time for these repairs to be completed,” Heathcote MP Maryanne Stuart said.
“These are complex sites with challenging working conditions, so I congratulate the crews who have dedicated thousands of hours to these repairs, improving safety for all motorists who drive through this beautiful part of NSW.”
The project included installing 1740 linear metres of soil nails, 950 square metres of reinforced mesh and shotcrete, 370 metres of new horizontal drains drilled into the slope, 70 metres of new catch drains, 28 cubic metres of reinforced concrete beam and 80 metres of new guardrail.
Throughout the work, commuters were subject to long-term road, lane or night closures across the area.
“We understand natural disasters have had a significant impact on travel through these important mountain roads in our state’s transport network and we thank the communities impacted for their patience while these essential repairs were carried out,” NSW Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast Ryan Park said.
“These projects take time, and crews have made significant progress to work through each area and restore the roads to their pre-disaster conditions.”
The repairs were jointly funded by the state and federal government as part of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Transport for NSW will continue its focus on repairing damage caused by natural disasters, with more work in planning stages and work on some sites across the state due to start early in the new year.
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