InfrastructureLindsay SaundersFri 03 Jul 26
Contractor Revealed for Crucial Great Western Highway Rebuild
Construction giant Seymour Whyte has won the contract to deliver a permanent crossing at Mitchells Causeway, paving the way for the reopening of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass in the second quarter of 2027.
Major construction is scheduled to begin this month after an accelerated procurement process by the NSW Government.
The highway has been closed since March after engineers discovered severe structural instability within the heritage-listed, convict-built Mitchells Causeway, cutting the main road link between Sydney and the Central West.
The 1832 sandstone causeway, designed by Surveyor-General Major Thomas Mitchell and built largely by convict labour, carries around 12,000 vehicles a day and is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.
Extensive geotechnical investigations found stable bedrock beneath the existing structure, allowing engineers to design a new bridge supported on deep piles that will sit above the historic causeway rather than replace it.
The approach preserves the heritage structure while providing a modern crossing capable of carrying current freight and traffic loads.
The prolonged closure has forced motorists and freight operators to take lengthy detours, significantly affecting tourism, supply chains and businesses across the Blue Mountains and Central West.
Detours around the Victoria Pass closure have typically added around 30 to 60 minutes to journeys between the Blue Mountains and Lithgow, depending on traffic and route choice.
For heavy vehicles and freight operators, the impact is often greater, with some trips extended by up to an hour or more due to lower-speed alternative routes such as Bells Line of Road and increased congestion through townships include Blackheath and Mount Victoria.
The NSW Government has expanded its business support package, increasing hardship grants from $10,000 to $25,000 for eligible businesses in Mount Victoria, Hartley, Little Hartley and Hartley Vale.
Eligible businesses at Lithgow, Oberon and Blackheath will also gain access to grants of up to $10,000 for the first time.
The latest package builds on previously announced measures, including a $50-million program to strengthen key detour routes, tourism campaigns and business advisory services aimed at helping affected operators manage the extended disruption.
The government has not disclosed the cost of the new crossing, saying pricing remains commercially sensitive while the contract moves into delivery.
