ANOTHER milestone has been reached in the painfully slow return of Lithgow's CBD every day normality to those who most depend on it.
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Disruption piled on disruption has seemed to be the new normal but finally on Friday the barricades came down on another disruptive 'reconstruction' of the Main/Eskbank Streets intersection.
The two week long works had contractors restoring the street and footpath torn up during the NBN program.
But with a little foresight the latest disruption could have been avoided and people are predictably asking why not.
It seems just a matter of months since the intersection was torn up and rebuilt as part of Council's so called CBD revitalisation.
That new concrete was barely dry before being ripped up again, much to the dismay of long suffering shop keepers.
Seems to have been a masterpiece of coordination there.
That's one more down but plenty more to go with NBN footing the bill for restoration of roads and footpaths.
Some optimists are again predicting the whole thing will be completed ahead of the Sydney light rail project.
Mining those wedding vows
BRIDAL parties these days are often forsaking traditional church ceremonies for unusual locations. One of the more unusual is the Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park that has become increasingly popular with wedding groups from Sydney.
READ MORE: Blackheath parish priest Father Bob Sheridan gets OAM
Most opt for an open air ceremony in what's known as The Gully and if a frost sets in early it gives new meaning to 'white wedding''. There's usually a reception in the former mine bath house and one group last month even brought a mobile gourmet pizza oven all the way from Sydney for the feast. Seems strange? But it works apparently.
Belting the buses
CAN'T get any official confirmation on this one but it comes from reliable sources. According to at least one bus driver and a couple of Lithgow socialites on their way to do lunch in the Mountains the other day police were swarming over coaches at the Mt Boyce checking station.
This had nothing to do with checking weight; they were, we're told, issuing on the spot fines to passengers not wearing seat belts. So one more avoidable highway hazard for the careless or unwary traveller. Disclaimer: Lithgow cops had no information on the blitz when asked last week.
A glaring hazard
SPEAKING of road hazards and a real issue is the dazzle from the high rise headlights on big 4WD vehicles. Even on low beam they're a menace to the point of contributing to real danger. Large trucks don't seem to have the same issue so it's a pity legislators didn't set workable standards before these on road off roaders became so popular. It's surely not too late to plan for future design on the production line.