Emergency road crews are working to fix extensive damage to the road network from Orange to Lithgow caused by repeated rain and snow events in recent months.
Nationals Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the challenging weather had prevented crews from adequately filling in potholes and carrying out repairs as they would under normal circumstances.
“Transport for NSW has allocated emergency funding and tripled the resources to prioritise repair work across the Central West, particularly between Bathurst and Orange along the Mitchell Highway,” Mr Toole said.
“Maintenance teams throughout the region have dedicated more than 1400 hours to deliver 32 inspections, repair 4,300 potholes and respond to 35 incidents, including to snow and ice incidents, in July.
“We want to assure Central West communities we are doing all we can to get both the Mitchell Highway and the Great Western Highway back into shape as quickly as we can with six crews at work between Lithgow and Orange.
“We know how frustrating it can be for locals using these highways every day to face delays while this repair work is being carried out, but this will help ensure all road users get home safety at the end of each journey.”
There are currently three active projects underway on the Mitchell and Great Western Highways between Orange and Lithgow under the Saving Lives on Country Roads program focused on improving safety and upgrading large sections of pavement.
Progress on these sections has been halted whilst Transport for NSW prioritise corrective works caused by ongoing weather impacts. To find out more visit nswroads.work/safetyupgrade
