Blue Mountains to get Australia’s longest road tunnel
16 May 2022The New South Wales government has committed to building Australia’s longest road tunnel in the Blue Mountains.
The 11km toll-free tunnel from Blackheath to Little Hartley is the state government’s preferred option following an in-depth feasibility analysis.
The twin-bore dual carriageway tunnels will form part of the A$8bn (US$5.5bn) Great Western Highway upgrade between the central west and the east coast.
Deputy premier and minister for regional NSW Paul Toole described the proposed tunnel as “a history-making legacy project”.
He said the upgrade was on track to start early next year.
Minister for regional transport and roads Sam Farraway said the Blue Mountains tunnel would transform the connection between Sydney and western NSW.
“This tunnel project, as part of the major upgrade of the Great Western Highway between Lithgow and Katoomba, will help improve the economic development, productivity and accessibility in and through the Blue Mountains, Central West and Orana regions,” he said.
“It will improve the resilience of the state’s major road corridor across the Blue Mountains during traffic incidents and natural disasters and will be built to accommodate future population growth west of the Blue Mountains.”
A formal consultation period will be held later this year following the publication of the environmental impact assessment.
