Residents divided by plans for Australia’s longest road tunnel
By Makayla Muscat
Under the state government’s proposal for a Great Western Highway upgrade, Australia’s longest road tunnel is expected to begin construction at Medlow Bath in 2022.
In May, Deputy Premier John Barilaro described the government’s plans for an 11 kilometre tunnel between Katoomba and Lithgow as complex and ambitious. “We’re working hard to make it happen because we know what a difference it will make to the lives of commuters, to regional businesses who need access to Sydney and vice versa, to freight companies, to families visiting relatives and to holiday makers,” he says.
Many residents protest the location of the tunnel believing it will impact their quality of life. Picture: Makayla Muscat
Many residents welcome the new development believing it will separate local traffic from tourists and freight transport. According to Blackheath resident Nicole Steele, the tunnel is “a good idea” that will hopefully reduce heavy congestion of an afternoon, weekend, and long-weekend. “It’s getting busier and busier, it’s such a holiday destination now. We need something so the locals can get to and from places easily,” she says.
Rhys Every is also eager for the upgrade. “It’s not going to happen overnight, but it will be good for us living in Blackheath,” he says.
While Blue Mountains City Council supports a tunnel for the purpose of current traffic, it opposes the State Government’s plan to introduce trucks up to 30 metres long to the Great Western Highway as part of a general by-pass strategy.
Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill told the Blue Mountains Gazette last month that the government’s proposal will affect the quality of life of residents. “They are not spending this amount of money for the occasional weekend traffic. Their own documents are clear that this is about introducing new and much bigger trucks to the Blue Mountains,” he says.
The NSW government plans for an 11km road tunnel through the upper Blue Mountains. Picture: ABC News
“The issue that concerns me is that we government and community haven’t had a strategic discussion about this,” Blue Mountains Labour Councillor Romola Hollywood wrote on Facebook last week.
Blackheath resident Tom Ryan is against the proposal. “I think that the government should reconsider and look to enhance the rail line instead. I agree with Mayor Greenhill that the introduction of very long and heavy trucks will be a traffic nightmare, especially at chokepoints such as the one between Medlow Bath and Blackheath,” he says. “I believe the current NSW government to be intrinsically corrupt with a compromised leader, and I think the tender process needs to be fully transparent.”
The Government promises the tunnel will be toll free. Despite this, Blue Mountains resident Dave Price is among those concerned that the development will be costly for the community. “The government will spend $8 billion. They will not spend that much money for no return,” he says.
With no plans for road improvements from Medlow Bath down, Mayor Greenhill is concerned that the tunnel will impact the road safety and quality of life of many mountains residents. “Noise will increase. People will be sharing the roads with an increased number of much larger trucks,” he says.
This article was previously published by Blue Mountains Australia.