Heathcote Road will be closed at various times for stabilisation work between the Princes Highway and New Illawarra Road. Photo: Transport for NSW.
Illawarra commuters who travel on Heathcote Road face delays and detours for the next two months, as critical safety work is carried out.
From Monday 7 April until mid-June, the road will be closed at times to all traffic apart from local residents, including a 10-day full closure over the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends.
The work, triggered by the extreme rainfall in 2022 that resulted in two landslip incidents on Heathcote Road, will include the realignment of the busy corridor.
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) said emergency repairs were completed after the landslips, but the area continued to experience movement and was considered a safety risk, requiring immediate slope realignment.
TfNSW coordinator general Barbara Wise said dense vegetation and a cliff close to the road added complexity to closures and realignment work.
“Consideration was given to further patching repairs and insertion of more piles to stabilise the hillside but the work would be extensive, expensive and ultimately result in the closure of Heathcote Road for a longer period of time,” she said.
“Cracking caused by water-related ground movement was detected in the westbound lane of Heathcote Road east of the Woronora River at the start of July 2022, forcing a closure of the westbound lane between Princes Highway and New Illawarra Road.
Motorists will need to detour via the Bangor Bypass during the road closures. Photo: Transport for NSW.
“The cracking and continued ground movement on Heathcote Road is entirely due to this extreme wet weather and has been replicated elsewhere on Sydney’s road network.
“Temporary patching and piling was carried out later in 2022 to stabilise the road but permanent realignment work must commence without delay, due to the risk of further slippage.”
Motorists will be detoured via Bangor Bypass during all closures and are advised to expect delays and to allow extra travel time.
Local residents will be able to access their homes under traffic control while access for National Parks and Wildlife Services and emergency services will be maintained during the road closures.
From Monday 7 to Thursday 17 April, the road will be closed each night from 8 pm to 5 am.
It will be fully closed from 8 pm on Thursday 17 April to 5 am on Monday 28 April.
From Monday 28 April until mid-June it will be closed each weeknight from 8 pm to 5 am and on weekends from 8 pm Friday to 5 am Monday.
The realignment work is separate to plans announced in late 2024 to upgrade Heathcote Road between Lucas Heights and Engadine with a new westbound overtaking lane along a critical section of the corridor.
The new lane will extend 900 m from just past the bridge over the Woronora River to connect with the existing overtaking lane, creating a continuous 2.4-km overtaking section.
