Road update: Today is National Walk Safely to school day
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Last updated: 9am.
Walk Safely to School Day
It's National Walk Safely to School Day today, May 20.
National Walk Safely to School Day is a community initiative that aims to raise awareness of the health, road safety, transport and environmental benefits that regular walking (especially to and from school) can provide for the long-term well-being of children.
Here's the top five tips for parents to get their kids walking to school:
- Walk some or if you can, walk all the way to school
- Get off the bus, train, or tram a few stops earlier and walk the rest of the way
- Leave the car at least 1km away from school and walk the rest of the way
- Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier to fit in a walk to school
- If you can't walk in the morning, walk home after school
Traffic flow
As residents hit the streets on their way to work and for school drop-off on their Friday morning, traffic remains moderate throughout the Lithgow CBD.
According to Live Traffic Main Street is experiencing busy traffic flow as car turn off the Great Western Highway at the lights near McDonalds. Traffic remains light flow until Gray Street where there is some congestion.
Mort Street, Lithgow Street and Bent Street surrounding St Patrick's School have moderate to heavy flow due to school drop-off. Railway Parade is also experiencing some busy traffic directly behind the train station.
The top end of Mort Street near the Council Chambers leading onto Bridge Street and Eskbank Street are busy with vehicles around Lithgow Public School.
Martini Parade overlapping with the Methven Street intersection is also experiencing some common congestion near the Small Arms Factory Museum.
Over at Littleton, James O'Donnell Drive across the Great Western Highway onto Rabaul Street has heavy traffic flow. Bayonet Street is also experiencing some slow traffic along with Magpie Hollow Road near the Shell Servo over at South Bowenfels.
Ski Run 2022 Ageclass Establishment Burn
A hazard reduction burn of 130ha started on the evening of May 20, taking place on Mount Schofield Road in the Sunny Corner State Forest through the Forestry Corporation of NSW.
Update on flooding and road damage in Lithgow LGA
The Lithgow region has been subject to persistent and significant rainfall. This has resulted in damage to road, drainage and embankment infrastructure.
In the past six months, the Lithgow area has been subject to roughly 950mm of rainfall. This rain has fallen over 129 days in a 180-day period.
As a result of these inspections, Council has urgently prioritised road repairs across the 4,000 square kilometres of the LGA. All machines are operational, every available local contractor is engaged, and staff are prioritising and attending to those hazards which present the highest risk.
The first stage of Lithgow's infrastructure recovery will commence this week with 25 roads prioritised for renewal. This will not involve pothole patching. Instead, entire seals will be removed, pavements reconstructed, drainage reestablished, and seals replaced with hotmix asphalt.
Browns Gap Road will be the first asset addressed first with work commenced on May 11 and running over one week.
Alongside work on the Browns Gap, work continues the on Wicketty War Road, Marsden Swamp Road, Cullenbenbong Road, Sodwalls Road and many others.
"We acknowledge that this recovery process is going to be a long-term project," Lithgow City Council Mayor, Councillor Maree Statham said.
"Our estimates of damage are already approaching $10 million. Fortunately, Council has successfully attracted an additional engineer highly skilled in asset rehabilitation after natural disasters, funded by the Federal Government through the Natural Disaster Recovery Arrangements"
"I say with certainty that, Council's staff have the interests of the community in the forefront of their mind and are really working hard to improve the resilience of our assets."
Scheduled roadwork resurfacing
Scheduled roadwork is in place from Tuesday, April 26 to June 1 from Mount Victoria to Blackheath on the Great Western Highway between Cassilis Street and Carawatha Road.
Traffic will be affected in both directions every day from 8pm until 5am. A reduced speed limit of 40km and contraflow traffic conditions will be in place.
Station St at Mount Victoria, will also be closed 9pm to 5am Sunday to Wednesday and 9.30pm to 5am Thursday to Saturday.
Diversions - Westbound: Montgomery St & Selsdon St, Eastbound: Harley Ave.
Explorers Road closure due to landslip
Drivers are advised to exercise caution, check signage and reduce their speed due to a landslip hazard on the Great Western Highway between Explorers Road and Foy Avenue.
Slope instability/debris on Jenolan Caves Road
There is slope instability and debris on Jenolan Caves Road between Binoomea Ridge Trail and the Caves House.
Motorists are advised to plan their journey and allow extra travel time. Access to Jenolan Caves is only available via Oberon.
Scheduled roadwork at Jenolan
Roadwork is scheduled at Jenolan Caves Road from The Bicentennial National Trail to Jenolan Caves House from April 26 to May 27.
The work is to carry out the Blue Lake Desilting Project. The road closure is in place to enable haul trucks to continue removing silt material from the Blue Lake as a result of several flooding events.
Work will be carried out by Jenolan Caves between 6am and 6pm Monday to Thursday, and between 6am and 4pm on Fridays. The road will be open to traffic outside these times.
Hazard - Slope instability/debris
Repair work remains ongoing at Hampton, Jenolan Caves Road between Old Bindo Road and Duckmaloi Road.
Traffic is affected in both directions with alternating stop/slow traffic conditions in place for vehicles less than three metres in width only.
Vehicles wider than three metres are advised to use the Great Western Highway to Bathurst, then O'Connell Road to Oberon.
Motorists are advised to exercise caution and plan their journey.
Mount Victoria reopens both lanes
Both lanes at Mount Victoria were reopened to traffic at 3am on March 25.
Crews have worked around the clock to repair extensive flood damage on the Great Western Highway. The highway pavement near Fairy Bower Road has been repaired and the slope has been stabilised following a landslip at the start of March due to extensive flooding.
A 40 km/h speed limit will remain for traffic in both lanes.
Scheduled roadwork - Intersection upgrade
An intersection upgrade at Oberon's O'Connell Road and Mayfield Road is scheduled for weekdays between 7am and 6pm until May 27.
Traffic is affected in both directions with a reduced speed limit of 40km/h.
Motorists are advised to exercise caution and allow approximately five minutes of additional travel time.
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