WORK has begun on a section of the crisis-prone Bells Line of Road that, it is hoped, will reduce the chances of landslips closing it in the future.
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But it won't be a quick fix.
The road - one of Bathurst's two routes to Sydney - was closed for weeks on end in March and April 2021 due to landslips caused by heavy rain.
Bells Line has also been closed by bushfires and snow in recent years and is regularly affected by vehicle crashes.
Transport for NSW says work on a project to "remediate three slope failures" alongside Bells Line at Mount Tomah began on Monday, May 29 and the aim is to "help keep the road open during future extreme weather events".
Transport for NSW regional director west Alistair Lunn said the NSW Government would carry out the slope repair work.
"This long-term remediation work is an important investment in the communities of the Blue Mountains and regional NSW," he said.
"The Bells Line of Road is a key link between Sydney and western NSW, a diversion route in the event of a Great Western Highway closure and also a popular drive for tourists and Blue Mountains Botanic Garden visitors, but we've seen the road closed far too often over the past two years due to unusually high rainfall.
"The three slopes earmarked for remediation are all within one kilometre of each other along the Bells Line of Road and two of them fall within the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden.
"This important work will prevent unplanned future road closures due to potential slope failures, preserve the life of the existing road infrastructure and ensure the ongoing safety of road users and the community."
A section of Bells Line closed on March 21, 2021 after landslides affected the integrity of the road and slope near Mount Tomah and it took until April 11 for a single lane to open - and with a 40km/h speed limit in place.
Recent closures of Bells Line and the Great Western Highway have led to mayor Robert Taylor, among others, pushing for a better transport link between Bathurst and Sydney.
Transport for NSW said Sydney company Quickway Construction had been awarded the slope remediation contract for Bells Line in a competitive open tender process.
The work is expected to take seven months to complete, weather permitting.
"Work across the three slopes includes, but is not limited to, slope scaling and vegetation clearing, bore piling, shotcrete and concreting, soil nailing, gabion basket, drainage work, pavement reconstruction, kerbing, new safety barriers and landscaping," Mr Lunn said.
Those using Bells Line are advised to expect changed traffic conditions including stop-slow single lane traffic through the work site on weekdays and one lane of traffic in each direction at reduced speed on weekends.
Transport for NSW says work will be carried out from 7am to 6pm on weekdays and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays, weather permitting.
Bells Line was also in the news in January, when the Federal Government announced that it would provide $100 million for safety works on the road that will be used for upgrades including overtaking lanes.
That $100 million commitment came almost 10 years after then-Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner announced, during a visit to Bathurst, that $43 million would be spent on upgrading Bells Line, which led to seven overtaking lanes being built in the following years.
