Long-awaited slope stabilisation works on Bells Line of Road at Mount Tomah have resumed, with Transport for NSW commencing a 15-week project aimed at improving road safety and protecting the highway from future weather-related damage.
The work is being carried out approximately 300 metres north-east of the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden and addresses damage caused by extreme weather events in 2022.
The project had originally commenced earlier this year but was paused following the emergency closure of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass in March, which required resources to be redirected.
Now, with work back underway, motorists travelling through the upper Blue Mountains and Bells Line corridor can expect traffic delays and changed traffic conditions until late August.
Transport for NSW said the project is being funded through the Commonwealth and State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and is designed to strengthen the road corridor against future landslips and severe weather impacts.
The works will involve clearing vegetation, removing and replacing sections of guardrail, installing steel reinforcement rods into the slope, rebuilding road shoulders and pavement, upgrading drainage infrastructure and undertaking extensive resurfacing and line marking.
Around 60 metres of damaged roadside infrastructure will be repaired, while up to 185 metres of road pavement will be resurfaced.
Work is scheduled to continue until Friday, August 21, weather permitting.
Crews will generally operate between 5am and 7pm Monday to Friday, although some night works will be required between 7pm and 5am on weeknights.
No work is planned on weekends or public holidays.
Despite the scale of the project, Bells Line of Road will remain open throughout construction.
Motorists should expect temporary traffic controls, a reduced speed limit of 40km/h through the work zone and a 24-hour single lane closure during weekdays.
A pilot vehicle will escort traffic through the site when required.
Transport for NSW is advising drivers to allow approximately five minutes of additional travel time when passing through the area.
The agency said a range of measures are being implemented to minimise impacts on residents and the environment, including erosion and sediment controls, protection zones around retained trees, management of construction lighting and replanting of vegetation removed during the works.
The slope repairs form part of ongoing efforts to improve the resilience of key transport links across the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury regions, where severe weather events in recent years have caused significant damage to roads and infrastructure.
For Hawkesbury residents, Bells Line of Road remains a critical transport route connecting the district with the Blue Mountains, Central West and agricultural communities beyond the mountains.
Motorists can obtain live traffic updates through the Live Traffic NSW website and app by searching for "Bells Line of Road, Mount Tomah".
