The Illawarra Highway at Macquarie Pass copped 250 mm of rain during the severe weather earlier this week. Photo: Transport for NSW.
UPDATED, 9.35am, Friday 4 July: Macquarie Pass has reopened to traffic during the day but night-time closures (8 pm to 4 am) will remain in place from Sundays to Thursdays until the end of July. Transport for NSW says lane closures will be in place during the day, with alternating conditions to allow motorists to pass in one direction at a time. Updates are available through Live Traffic.
Thursday, 3 July: The Illawarra has awoken to (mostly) clear skies this morning, but roads across the region are still affected by the recent deluge.
More than 250 mm of rain fell at Macquarie Pass during the past three days, and the Illawarra Highway will remain closed at Macquarie Pass between Tourist and Tongarra Mine roads to allow investigations to be carried out to ensure the stability of the slopes.
All traffic will continue to be detoured via the Hume Highway and Picton and Mount Ousley roads, adding about 30 minutes to journey times.
Transport for NSW expects the road to remain closed for at least 48 hours from Thursday (3 July) and will keep the community informed as investigations continue.
Calderwood Road, Calderwood near Escarpment Drive is also closed due to flooding.
In Albion Park, Terry Street at Taylor Road, Taylor Road between the Illawarra Highway and Hamilton Road, Calderwood Road between Taylor Road and Escarpment Drive and the Illawarra Highway between Tongarra Road and the Princes Motorway remain closed due to flooding – avoid the area.
Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions and follow the directions of signs and traffic control.
Over the past couple of days the NSW SES attended 156 incidents in the northern Illawarra alone, mostly leaking roofs and fallen trees.
A fuller picture of the damage caused by the east coast low will be available later today.
For more information about road closures, head to the Live Traffic website.
