Great Western Highway closure and new bridge construction update
Consensus Summary
The Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass has remained closed since March 2026 due to severe structural damage to a 200-year-old convict-built causeway, forcing motorists onto a 25-minute detour. The NSW government has announced plans to build a new bridge over the existing causeway, with construction starting in July 2026 and the highway expected to reopen between April and June 2027. The project will include stabilising the original causeway and adding an extra lane to the highway. To mitigate economic impacts, the government has increased small business grants from $10,000 to $25,000 for affected areas and expanded eligibility to include Lithgow, Oberon, and Blackheath. Local leaders, such as Lithgow Mayor Cass Coleman, have expressed concerns about the prolonged detour and called for additional funding to repair local roads. The new bridge is intended as a permanent solution, supported by deep piles anchored into stable bedrock, avoiding the need for a more costly alternative route.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass has been closed since March 9, 2026, due to serious cracking and ground movement in the convict-built Mitchell’s Causeway.
- A new bridge will be built over the existing Mitchell’s Causeway, supported by deep piles anchored into stable bedrock below, with construction starting in July 2026.
- The highway is expected to reopen between April and June 2027, meaning a total closure duration of up to 15 months.
- The NSW government has increased small business grants from $10,000 to $25,000 for affected areas (Mount Victoria, Hartley, Little Hartley, Hartley Vale) and expanded eligibility to include Lithgow, Oberon, and Blackheath with $10,000 grants.
- The new crossing will provide an extra lane of traffic and sit above the existing causeway, which will be stabilized as part of the work.
- The original convict-built causeway was constructed nearly 200 years ago and is at risk of collapse due to sandstone wall bulging and defects.
- The Great Western Highway carries up to 12,000 vehicles daily, and motorists have been detoured via Darling Causeway and Chifley Road, adding 25 minutes to travel time.
- Contracting company Seymour Whyte was selected to build the new crossing after an accelerated procurement process.
- The NSW government has allocated an additional $20 million in support for small businesses, expanding on a previous $3.6 million package.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison acknowledged the closure would present difficulties, stating: 'I know it will mean sitting down at the kitchen table, working out how your family moves around and what the next year looks like in practice.'
- The new crossing is described as a permanent solution, not a Band-Aid fix, and geotechnical testing confirmed the bedrock under the causeway remains strong, avoiding the need for an alternative route.
- The cost of the new crossing has not yet been revealed by the government.
- Mayor of Lithgow City Council, Cass Coleman, stated: 'Local residents need to know how long they have to cope with the detour, which means 12,000 cars and trucks through the CBD of Lithgow daily.'
- Coleman called for federal and state government funding to repair local roads in Lithgow, which are 'copping a beating' due to the detour.
- The ABC notes that the original convict-built bridge will remain in place while the new bridge is constructed above it, with stabilisation and grouting works planned.
- Transport for NSW received 10 submissions from engineering firms vying to replace the convict-built bridge.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The SMH states the initial closure was detected on March 9, 2026, while the ABC says cracks were detected on March 5, 2026.
Source Articles
Length of closure for damaged Blue Mountains highway revealed
A new bridge structure will be built above the unsafe part of the Great Western Highway constructed by convicts nearly 200 years ago.
New bridge announced but Great Western Highway closed for another year
A new bridge will be built at Mitchell's Causeway on the Great Western Highway to link Sydney and the state's central west.