Coxs River Road Upgrade

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The NSW Government is investing $232 million towards upgrading the Great Western Highway at Coxs River Road, Little Hartley.

The Coxs River Road Upgrade will reduce congestion and improve safety and accessibility for all local and highway road users, commuters and pedestrians.

Transport for NSW (Transport) is widening and realigning 2.4 kilometres of the Highway from east of Mid Hartley Road to east of Coxs River Road into two lanes in each direction, providing a safer and more efficient road.

The Upgrade will create at least 530 new jobs during construction.

The Coxs River Road Upgrade began construction in April 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2025.

The project is managed by Transport for NSW and funded by the NSW Government.

Latest news

February 2024 – Traffic Diversion at Little Hartley from 14 February

Transport for NSW will hold a pop-up information stall on Thursday 8 February for interested members of the public to learn about progress on the Coxs River Road Upgrade ahead of traffic being temporarily diverted onto a new section of road from Wednesday 14 February.

Read more in the Media Release (PDF, 194.86 KB) here.
Read more in the Community Notification Letter (PDF, 780.77 KB) here.

February 2024 – Latest community update available now

View the latest community update (PDF, 1 MB) to find out about progress on the Coxs River Road Upgrade.

January 2024 - Nightworks on the Great Western Highway at Little Hartley

We’ll be carrying out works in preparation for the traffic switch from the existing highway to the new service road. Work will take place over six nights between Sunday 4 February and Wednesday 14 February 2024, weather permitting.

View the community notification (PDF, 322.05 KB) for more information.

 

Subscribe to project updates

We will send regular email updates to people interested in this project.

Email us on gwh@transport.nsw.gov.au to be added to our subscription list or phone 1800 953 777.

 

 

Project information

Background

The Great Western Highway is one of Australia’s most historic roads and a key east-west connection out of Sydney. Over the last 100 years, the NSW Government has progressively upgraded sections of the highway to make it safer and more reliable.

The NSW Government first announced an upgrade from Mount Victoria to Lithgow in May 2008.

Transport investigated a wide range of upgrade options. From 2008 to 2013 Transport collaborated with the community to develop a preferred route and concept design for the upgrade of the Great Western Highway between Mount Victoria and Lithgow.

In 2013 Transport completed a concept design and the road corridor was reserved in the Local Environmental Plans for the Blue Mountains and Lithgow City councils.

From 2019 – 2023 Transport conducted planning, design and environmental approval of a series of highway upgrades between Katoomba and Lithgow.

As part of this investigation Transport collaborated with the community to refine the design of the upgrade at Coxs River Road.

The upgrade will deliver a connection that minimises environmental and heritage impacts, supports local economies, improves travel times and safety and is financially responsible.

Benefits

  • Making local traffic safer by improving intersections and local service roads
  • Improving network performance by managing traffic peaks and reducing congestion around intersections
  • Encouraging active transport with new walking and cycling paths
  • Improving emergency access and increasing travel time reliability while providing alternate routes during incident response
  • Boosting local employment during construction and operation.

Features

  • Upgrade of 2.4 kilometres of the Great Western Highway

  • Grade separated interchange at Coxs River Road, supplemented by new sections of connecting roadway to create a local service road network

  • Realignment of the existing highway near Browns Gap Road to create a local service road

  • Upgrades to the junctions at Browns Gap Road and Baaners Lane, including a U-turn Bay on Baaners Lane

  • Retaining wall on the highway eastbound adjacent to the Lolly Bug

Design improvements

Consultation has led to the following design improvements which are now part of the Coxs River Road Upgrade:

  • Refining Coxs River Road design and providing further integration into landscape
  • Consulting with community on Coxs River Road bridge urban design (ongoing)
  • Refining Baaners Lane intersection
  • Extended deceleration and merge lanes
  • Providing Variable Speed Limit signage for low visibility/fog
  • Improving active transport connections
  • Providing for an upgrade to Berghoffer’s Pass carpark
  • Opening with an 80km/h speed limit in line with the current speed limit and speed limit of adjoining sections

 

Community information

Community consultations

Little Hartley to Lithgow (West Section) Review of Environmental Factors consultation November 2021 – January 2022

The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) and concept design for the Little Hartley to Lithgow (West Section) upgrade was available for community consultation from 23 November 2021 to 16 January 2022. The engagement included six online and face-to-face community information sessions. The REF was approved, however most of the project is currently paused awaiting confirmation of funding from both the State and Australian governments.

Project information and the full REF and the Submissions Report can be found on the Little Hartley to Lithgow online portal.

Concept design consultation – 2020-2021

Throughout 2020/21 Transport conducted targeted consultation with residents living near major intersections on the highway between Little Hartley and Lithgow to further refine and improve elements of the concept design.

Consultation focused on improving road safety and intersection treatments, ensuring better access for local residents, and early engagement with affected property owners. This resulted in improvements to the concept design completed in 2013.

Katoomba to Lithgow strategic design consultation November - December 2019

The strategic design for the upgrade of the Great Western Highway from Katoomba to Lithgow was available for community consultation from 07 November to 16 December 2019. The engagement included nine community information sessions, two pop up displays and one public meeting.

You can view or download the community consultation summary report.

Mount Victoria to Lithgow consultation – 2008-2013

Transport for NSW collaborated closely with the community from 2008 to 2013 to develop the concept design for the upgrade of the Great Western Highway between Mount Victoria and Lithgow. The local community participated in consultation sessions, workshops and field surveys to help determine a preferred upgrade route.

As part of the concept development, Transport investigated a corridor through Newnes Plateau. This option was ruled out as it required land needed by the Department of Defence at Marangaroo. Transport also considered other alignments to the north and south, but these were much longer and the terrain more challenging than the preferred option through the Hartley Valley.

View or download the Mount Victoria to Lithgow reports in the reports section of this page.

Coxs River Road Interactive portal

To learn more about this project, view our interactive portal for more information.

Community Advisory Group

Project documents

Some documents on this page may not comply with accessibility requirements (WCAG).

If you are having trouble accessing information in these documents, please contact us.

 

Community notifications

  • February 2024

     Coxs River Road community update (PDF, 1 MB)

Project notifications

Reports

Fact sheets

Media Releases

Contact us

For further information about upgrades on the Great Western Highway, please contact:

Phone: 1800 953 777

Email: gwh@transport.nsw.gov.au

Post: Great Western Highway - PO Box 334, Parkes NSW 2870

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