SAFETY works are expected to commence on the upper section of Browns Gap from Monday September 3 for up to five weeks.
This steep and twisting incline snakes around the side of the mountain to provide an important traffic link between the Vale of Clwydd and the Hartley Valley.
This area has been identified as a safety concern and the work will include the first stage of upper slope remediation plan, involving primarily the removal hazardous vegetation and some rocks.
Trees from the upper road cutting edge will be removed to some six metres behind the steep slope batters.
A council spokesman aid that over time many of the trees have created root jacking to much of the steep batters exposing many large boulders in the cuttings.
A team of specialised arborists have been contracted by Lithgow City Council to carry out this work.
Contra-flow traffic control will be in place for the duration of this work and at times there will be delays to traffic while the work may require many trees to be felled onto the road pavement below.
The arborists will scale four separate sections from the top of Browns Gap running down the hill for some 700m.
“The Browns Gap Road has been the choice for many motorists commuting from Lithgow to the Blue Mountains and Sydney,” mayor Neville Castle said.
“While over the last several years there has been an increasing volume of traffic using this road and from recent statistics traffic usage has tripled over this period seeing more than 1600 movements per day.
“The upper slope remediation works will be undertaken by specialised contractors under the supervision of Lithgow City Council engineers over an estimated five week period, Monday to Friday, weather permitting at a cost of about $85,000.
“It is anticipated work will be commencing on Monday September 3 and is expected to be completed by early October,” Cr Castle said.
A further assessment of the area will be undertaken at the completion of these works.
MEANTIME residents and visitors to the Wolgan Valley are hoping for an early completion of the latest round of stabilisation work under way on Wolgan Gap.
At present road access is closed to traffic from 8 am to noon and from 1.30 to 5.
The project is planned to be completed next week.