The announcement by NSW Minister for Roads Michael Daley to fast track planning of the upgrade of the Great Western Highway between Mt Victoria and Lithgow along the existing route, known as the Orange corridor, is a short sighted decision that will not solve the transport needs of the Central West but will forever damage the communities of the upper Blue Mountains.
That’s the view of the Blackheath_highway Action Group [BAG].
The group slammed the Minister’s announcement calling it a cheap and nasty band-aid solution that will result in more trucks on the highway.
The decision to proceed with the upgrade of the highway along the Orange Corridor has put a cloud over residents of Mt Victoria and threatens the future of Blackheath and the Blue Mountains.
“The Minister’s announcement is a betrayal of the residents and business owners of Blackheath, Medlow Bath and Mt Victoria because these villages are being sacrificed as the State and Federal Governments turn our highway into a road freight corridor between Sydney and the Central West,” said Blackheath_highway Action Group spokesperson, Michael Paag.
“This announcement is about fast tracking a highway upgrade to make it easier for trucks to cross the Blue Mountains. Whether it’s more 19 metre B-doubles or the introduction of 26 metre 9 axle B-doubles, the purpose of this upgrade is to reduce the grade and remove the tight curves of Victoria Pass to enable these huge trucks to get up and across the Blue Mountains.
“Rather than putting some much needed confidence back into the local community, the Minister’s announcement today has left residents and local business owners of Mt Victoria feeling shattered as the RTA begins plans to put a four lane highway through the residential area around Mt York Road.
“So much for Labor’s promise to bypass Mt Victoria; now the Minister says the upgrade will only bypass the main village leaving local residents out in the cold.
“The State Governments backflip on the Mt Victoria bypass shows the Minister can’t be trusted when he says there are no plans to allow B-doubles over 19 metres along the Great Western Highway.
“The RTA is widening the highway to four lanes to Katoomba and the State Government is determined to upgrade the highway to four lanes between Mt Victoria and Lithgow - so what’s going to happen to the existing two lane tree lined highway through Blackheath, a picturesque tourist village between Katoomba and Mt Victoria?
“The RTA says the highway will not be widened through Blackheath yet the Minister has not ruled out minor shoulder realignment that could result in 3 to 4 lanes of traffic through the village within the existing highway alignment.
“It’s clear by the tone of the Minister’s announcement today that despite overwhelming community opposition and strong pressure from the Central West for an integrated rail-road transport plan the State Government is determined to turn the Great Western Highway, with its nearly different 40 speed zones, 10 school zones, 21 sets of traffic lights and 15 or so villages, into a road freight corridor for massive trucks.
“This announcement is bad news for the Central West and a continuation of what the Mayor of Lithgow City Council referred to as the Great Western Car Park – one accident and its gridlock.
“It’s time the State and Federal Governments come clean on their plans for the upgrade of the highway between Mt Victoria and Lithgow; the RTA is designing a four lane dual carriageway with massive viaducts that stand up to 70 metres high and 1.5 kilometres long, deep cuttings and two two lane tunnels and this is supposed to cost taxpayers only $450 million. The truth is it’s a waste of taxpayers’ money because the limitations of the Great Western Highway with its multiple school zones, traffic lights, speed zones and villages will remain at one end and Forty Bends, a stretch of road notorious for black ice at the other.
“The message to the State and Federal Governments is clear – the communities of Blackheath, Medlow Bath and Mt Victoria want a safer highway and more freight on rail. However we won’t accept a four lane monstrosity carving through our villages to facilitate massive trucks crossing the Blue Mountains,” concluded Mr Paag.
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff
Twitter