A landslip on the Illawarra Highway at Macquarie Pass after it copped a drenching earlier this year. Photo: Transport for NSW.
Six months of night closures have started on a key stretch of Macquarie Pass linking the Illawarra to the Southern Highlands.
Motorists travelling on the Illawarra Highway between Tongarra Mine Road and Mount Murray Road are advised of closures from 8 pm to 4 am, Sunday to Thursday nights, for up to six months (weather permitting).
The work is part of a $9.6 million program of safety upgrades on the steep Illawarra Highway route.
During the closures, light vehicles under 12 tonnes and 10 metres in length will be diverted via Jamberoo Mountain Road, adding about 10 minutes to trips.
Heavy vehicles, including buses and vehicles towing caravans or trailers, will need to use the Hume Motorway, Picton Road and the M1 Princes Motorway, with detours expected to add about 20 minutes.
Outside work hours, the Pass will remain open under stop/slow traffic control.
It is not the first closure of part of the pass due to stabilisation work this year. The hope is the improvements will increase community resilience and reduce the risk of further closures on the steep route following the unprecedented wet weather experienced in the Illawarra recently.
Transport for NSW said the works included slope stabilisation and the installation of wider lanes and new safety barriers on key sections of the Pass, which is used by about 4000 vehicles daily.
The first stage of the project will focus on a 200 m stretch near the top hairpin bends, a section prone to landslips and weather damage. Engineers will use steel soil nails, heavy-duty mesh and sprayed concrete to stabilise the slope and prevent unplanned closures.
Additional works worth $2.1 million under the NSW Government’s Towards Zero Safer Roads program will target a 300 m section near Cascade Falls Picnic Area, with slope stabilisation, drainage upgrades and a widened centre line.
The key area where slope stabilisation work will be carried out. Image: Transport for NSW.
NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said while work on the Pass was complex due to the steep terrain of the site, slope stability challenges and the tight work areas that limited worker and vehicle access, the upgrades were “key to ensuring the resilience of this route”.
“This funding is about making regional roads safer, more reliable and fairer, ensuring local communities get their fair share of road maintenance investment,” she said.
“Macquarie Pass is a critical corridor for local commuters, freight operators and the tourism sector.
“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.”
Labor Candidate for Kiama Katelin McInerney was glad the projects had started.
“Macquarie Pass is a vital link between the Southern Highlands and the Illawarra and it comes up frequently when I talk to local residents,” she said.
“This is a significant investment that will help reduce the risk of unplanned closures, especially during bad weather, and give the community more confidence when travelling on the route.”
Motorists are encouraged to plan their journey by visiting Live Traffic, or download the Live Traffic NSW app.
