Heathcote Road bridge

To carry out work safely and minimise traffic impacts on road users during the day there will be full road closures of Heathcote Road between New Illawarra Road and Princes Highway.

The next planned full closures of Heathcote Road are:

• weeknights between Sunday 30 April and Thursday 4 May from 9pm until 5am.
• weeknights between Sunday 7 May and Monday 8 May from 9pm until 5am.

During the closures of Heathcote Road, a detour that is suitable for freight and B-double trucks up to 26 metres long will be in place via the Princes Highway at Kirrawee and the Bangor Bypass.

Electronic messages signs will advise closure dates in advance and the detour will be clearly signposted.

For the latest traffic updates, visit the Live Traffic website or check the Live Traffic NSW App.

The new bridge is now open to traffic in a temporary arrangement to allow maintenance work to be carried out on the old bridge.

A reduced speed limit of 60km/h will be in place while both lanes of traffic are temporarily using the new bridge.

Weeknight closures of Heathcote Road will start on Sunday 23 October 2022 between 8pm and 5am and a weeknight closure will occur between 8pm Friday 28 October and 5am Monday 24 October, weather permitting.

Please view or download the notification letter (PDF, 285Kb) for more information about this work.

Weeknight closures of Heathcote Road will start on Sunday 4 September 2022, between 8pm and 5am, weather permitting.

Please view or download the September 2022 project update (PDF, 799Kb) for more information about this work.

Weeknight closures of Heathcote Road will start on Sunday 22 May 2022, between 8pm and 5am, weather permitting.

Weekend closures of Heathcote Road will start on Friday 17 June 2022, between 8pm Friday and 5am Monday weather permitting.

During closures of Heathcote Road between New Illawarra Road and the Princes Highway a detour will be in place via Kirrawee and the Bangor Bypass.

Please view or download the May 2022 community update (PDF, 309Kb) for the detour map and more information about this work.

Work is now underway on the Heathcote Road Bridge. Night closures are expected to start late May, weather permitting. Transport will notify the community of specific closure dates and detours closer to the time.

Please view or download the April 2022 community update (PDF, 226Kb) for more information about this work.

Traffic changes including temporary lane and shoulder closures will be in place while early work is being carried out. The speed limit in the work zone will be reduced and traffic control will also be in place. Day work hours will be between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday and night work hours will be between 8pm and 5am Sunday to Thursday, weather permitting. Please view or download the March April 2022 community update (PDF, 789Kb) for more information about this work.

The official name of the bridge is Bridge 152, however it is often referred to as 'the narrow bridge over Woronora River'.

For the community this bridge symbolically represents a time, some 75 years ago, when the bridge was all that connected the south to the west.

Built by the military the narrow Heathcote Road Bridge over Woronora River history dates back to 1943. The bridge sits over the Woronora River nestled amongst the spectacular Heathcote and Royal National Park.

We have built a new additional bridge, parallel to the existing bridge. On completion of the project, the new bridge will be for westbound traffic and the existing bridge will be for eastbound traffic.

One lane on each bridge provides safety and traffic flow benefits in the short term. As part of the planning works for future potential Heathcote Road duplication announced in November 2020, we are also considering the option of additional lanes along the road. We will keep the community informed on the progress of the upgrade.

The key benefits to the community include:

• Improved road safety
• Concrete median barrier to separate eastbound and westbound vehicles.
• Improved road network reliability allowing safe passing of broken down vehicles.
• Decrease in traffic delays.
• A design solution that can be implemented in the short term.

The design of the new bridge will include:

• A 6 metre wide bridge with 3.5 metre lane and a 2 metre wide shoulder
• Widening the northern and southern approaches about 250 metre on either side of the bridge.

• September 2022 community update
  Heathcote Road Bridge upgrade.
• May 2022 community update
  Heathcote Road closures starting Sunday 22 May 2022.
• April 2022 community update
  Work is now underway on the Heathcote Road Bridge.
• March and April 2022 project update
  Heathcote Road Bridge upgrade project.
• December 2021 project update
  Heathcote Road Bridge upgrade project.
• June 2021 community update
  Heathcote Road bridge REF submissions report released.
• Heathcote Road factsheet
  New funding for Heathcote Road duplication.
• December 2020 have your say
  Have Your Say on the Heathcote Road Bridge REF.
• December 2020 community update
  Community Update - Heathcote Road bridge REF display.
• September 2020 community update
  September 2020 Heathcote bridge safety improvements community update.
• September 2020 community update
  Heathcote Road bridge community engagement report.
• July 2020 community update
  Safety investigations community update.
• July 2020 project update
  Heathcote Road bridge safety investigations and night closure poster.
• May 2020 project update
  Heathcote Road bridge over Woronora River safety improvements.

• April 2022 Addendum Review of Environmental Factors
  Heathcote Road Bridge.
• April 2022 Addendum Review of Environmental Factors
  Collated appendices.
• June 2021 submissions report
  Safety improvements for Heathcote Road bridge.
• November 2020 Review of Environmental Factors
  Heathcote Road Bridge.
• November 2020 Review of Environmental Factors
  Executive summary.
• November 2020 Appendix C
  Noise and vibration impact assessment.
• November 2020 Appendix D
  Biodiversity assessment.
• November 2020 Appendix E and F
  Summary of water quality objectives, key water quality indicators and guideline values and Preliminary RUSLE calculations.
• November 2020 Appendix G
  Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment.
• November 2020 Appendix H
  Statement of heritage impact.
• November 2020 Appendix I
  Urban Design Concept.

• 23 May 2022
  Work starts on Heathcote Road Bridge
• 12 April 2021
  Plans for Heathcote Road Bridge upgrade powers ahead