Katoomba to Lithgow - Great Western Highway Upgrade Program

Great Western Highway Upgrade Program Stakeholder Engagement Strategy

Transport is committed to engaging with the community and stakeholders at all stages of the Great Western Highway Upgrade Program from early planning through to design, construction, operations and maintenance.

Read the Great Western Highway Upgrade Program Stakeholder Engagement Strategy.

Katoomba to Blackheath (East Section) Review of Environmental Factors consultation May - June 2022

The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) and Concept Design for the proposed Katoomba to Blackheath Upgrade has now closed. The REF and concept design for the Katoomba to Blackheath Upgrade was released for community consultation on 15 May 2022, with consultation continuing to 19 June 2022. The engagement included six community information sessions, which were a mixture of online and face-to-face sessions. Transport is preparing a Submissions Report summarising and providing responses to submissions received during the REF display period, which is expected to be released in late 2022. Project information and the full REF can be found on the online portal.

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 released for community consultation on 23 November 2021, with consultation continuing to 16 January 2022. The engagement included six community information sessions, which were a mixture of online and COVIDSafe face-to-face sessions.

Submissions have been categorised and formally responded to in the Little Hartley to Lithgow (West Section) Submissions Report. Transport has also prepared a Consultation Report summarising the community engagement carried out during the REF display period. Both reports were released on 29 June and can be viewed and downloaded from the project interactive web portal at nswroads.work/gwhwestconsult

Medlow Bath Upgrade Review of Environmental Factors consultation July – September 2021

The Review of Environmental Factors and Concept Design for the Medlow Bath Upgrade was released for community consultation on 27 July, with consultation continuing to 5 September 2021.

The engagement included six community information sessions, held online in order to comply with advice from NSW Health and Covid-19 restrictions. These sessions were attended by 146 people in total.

A number of targeted information sessions were also held with local businesses, groups and associations and a number of phone consultations were also held.

During the consultation period, we received 348 formal submissions from 250 individual members of the community, businesses and stakeholders. The Submissions Report to the Medlow Bath REF will be released when the REF is determined.

Blackheath tunnel options consultation October - November 2020

The preferred strategic route option for the bypass at Blackheath was released for consultation on 12 October 2020, focusing upon a long tunnel with various portal options. Consultation continued until 28 November. The engagement included three community information sessions, held online in order to comply with advice from NSW Health and Covid-19 restrictions. 241 people booked into the online consultation sessions, while a further 125 people watched the recorded sessions at a later date. Seven phone consultations were also held, at the request of individual residents. More than 6211 people visited the online virtual consultation portal and more than 2486 items of feedback were received by the project team. You can view or download the community consultation summary report (PDF, 5.52Mb).

Transport has conducted extensive investigations into the feasibility of a tunnel between Blackheath and Little Hartley. Investigations have confirmed that two identical (twin) tunnels, one eastbound and one westbound, around 11 kilometres long would deliver more benefits for the environment, the community and road users than two shorter tunnels beneath the villages of Blackheath and Mount Victoria.

Transport will further develop the preliminary concept design which will be used as the basis for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Department of Planning and Environment will place the EIS on display and invite community feedback in the second half of 2022.

The EIS exhibition is your opportunity to have your say on the development of the Blackheath to Little Hartley tunnel.

Medlow Bath upgrade consultation June - August 2020

The strategic design for the upgrade of the Great Western Highway through Medlow Bath was released for community consultation on 29 June, with consultation continuing to 31 August 2020. The engagement included eight community information sessions, held online in order to comply with advice from NSW Health and Covid-19 restrictions. The sessions were attended by 70 people. A number of targeted information sessions were also held with local businesses, groups and associations and a number of phone consultations were also held. More than 850 items of feedback were received by the project team.You can view or download the community consultation summary report (PDF, 3.7Mb).

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 released for community consultation on 07 November 2019, with consultation continuing to 16 December 2019. The engagement included nine community information sessions, two pop up displays and one public meeting held along the corridor at locations including Katoomba, Medlow Bath, Blackheath, Mount Victoria, Hartley and Lithgow. The sessions were attended by 1350 people and 1759 items of feedback were received by the project team. You can view or download the community consultation summary report (PDF, 18.5Mb).

The Blackheath Co-Design Committee (BCC) was formed by Transport for NSW in March 2020, following feedback from the community. The Committee included stakeholder group representatives, selected community representatives, and representatives from the Blue Mountains City Council and emergency services.

The BCC was not a decision making body, but the outcome of the BCC is an important input into the Government's decision-making process for determining a preferred route option and design as the program progresses.

The Committee's unanimously preferred option was for a long tunnel underneath Blackheath.

• View or download the report on the BCC process and findings (PDF, 12Mb), produced by independent facilitators KJA.
• View or download the BCC fact sheet (PDF, 1.95Mb).
• View the Blackheath Co-Design Committee Terms of Reference

Blackheath Co-Design Committee Meeting Minutes

View or download:

• Wednesday 19 August 2020 (PDF, 495Kb)
• Wednesday 5 August 2020 (PDF, 321Kb)
• Wednesday 1 July 2020 (PDF, 366Kb)
• Friday 19 and Saturday 20 June 2020 (site inspections) (PDF, 750Kb)
• Wednesday 3 June 2020 (PDF, 501Kb)
• Wednesday 6 May 2020 (PDF, 295Kb)

• Katoomba to Blackheath (East section)– Aurecon have been appointed to refine the design and prepare environmental assessments for this section.
• Medlow Bath- MRB have been appointed to refine the design and prepare environmental assessments for this section.
• Blackheath to Little Hartley (Central section)- Aecom have been appointed to prepare the environmental impact statement for this section. Joint venture AECOM / Aurecon (AAJV) were selected to work on the technical investigations and design of the tunnel.
• Little Hartley to Lithgow (West section) - Jacobs Arcadis Joint Venture have been appointed to refine the design and prepare environmental assessments for this section