Wolgan Gap Road, which was the only way into the Valley, was forced to be closed due to safety concerns after a major landslide in November last year.

The sighting of the roadworks caused a stir for residents, who feared the thoroughfare for the valley was being permanently removed.

According to resident, Lisa Coates, locals were lying on the road to prevent machinery from being used to undertake work.

"This our emergency exit and it was being ripped up today so we won't be able to use it," Ms Coates said.

"They [residents] stopped them from using the machinery, now they are just trying to rally more people from the valley to be at the bottom."

Lithgow City Council have since clarified that the works were not intended to close the road, but to improve the Donkey Road that is being used as access to and from the valley.

"The material is being taken from the road as it is a readily available source of material to further improve the weather durability of the Donkey Steps Road," General Manager of Lithgow Council Craig Butler said.

"This is a faster and easier alternative to procuring the material from quarries (some of whom are rationing supply because of demand across the central west from all councils and the NSW Govt) and bringing the material down the Donkey Steps from the top (a slow and difficult process)."

Vice President of the Wolgan Valley Association Martin Krogh said Wolgan Road is the only viable access to and from the Valley in an emergency.

"Wolgan Road is the only point where you could actually get out of there in an emergency such as a fire or flood or if somebody was in a life-threatening situation. Short of getting a helicopter into the valley," Mr Krogh said.

According to Mr Krogh, there have been communication issues with Council since the bushfires in 2019.

"Communication from Council regarding the Wolgan Road has been atrocious. Ripping up the Wolgan Road with no notification or explanation to residents is an example of the lack of communication."

Despite issues with communication, Mr Krogh said residents are supportive of Council's efforts in navigating the ongoing situation.

"We really support council in building this new road at the Donkey steps, but we are well aware that this is a temporary solution at this stage and there's no plans for a new permanent road, let alone any funding for it," Mr Krogh said.

According to Mr Krogh, Residents are feeling uncertain and stuck, with no end in sight and the tense situation contributed to the response to the roadworks.

"We've got a case where people have trouble going to work, Difficulty accessing facilities, Going to the shops and the future is uncertain," Mr Krogh said.

"Some of the residents got wind that they were going to rip up the road, But there was certainly no notification or explanation for why they were doing that, let alone any idea that it wouldn't be the whole road that got ripped up."

"It things like that, In an uncertain environment that we are existing in at the moment, That really put residents on edge."

Council responded to concerns of the residents, reassuring them that there will always be an emergency road to access.

"The Council is alert to the heightened sense of concern about emergency access and egress for the Wolgan Valley, this is why we negotiated for Old Coach Road to be made available. It is also why we have constructed Donkey Steps Road in a record time," Mr Butler said.

"Though Wolgan Road is not presently safe, there remains the case for ensuring that it is still available in the most extreme circumstance whereby all other accesses are lost."

Mr Krogh said communication between Council and residents needs to improve if they are going to work together through the situation.

"If they are going to do things like this which potentially affect the lives of the residents down in the Wolgan Valley, They need to talk to us and let us know what is happening and why," Mr Krogh said.