Mount Victoria
to Lithgow
Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
November 2008
RTA/Pub. 08.411
ISBN 9781921474866
Mount Victoria to Lithgow
Great Western Highway
Upgrade
STRATEGIC REVIEW OF A NEWNES
PLATEAU CORRIDOR
November 2008
Cardno (NSW) Ltd
Level 3, Cardno Building
910 Pacific Highway
Gordon NSW 2072
Tel: (02) 9496 7700
Fax: (02) 9499 3902
“© 2008 Cardno All Rights Reserved. Copyright in the whole and every part
of this document belongs to Cardno and may not be used, sold,
transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or
form or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent
of Cardno.”
Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
DOCUMENT CONTROL
Cardno (NSW) Ltd
Level 3, Cardno Building
910 Pacific Highway
Gordon NSW 2072
Tel: (02) 9496 7700
Fax: (02) 9499 3902
DOCUMENT HISTORY AND STATUS
Revision
Date Issued
1
17 Oct 2008
2
22 Oct 2008
3
26 Oct 2008
4
04 Nov 2008
5
07 Nov 2008
6
12 Nov 2008
Prepared by
A. Levy
L. Collier
J. Rayment
A. Levy
L. Collier
J. Rayment
A. Levy
L. Collier
J. Rayment
A. Levy
L. Collier
J. Rayment
A. Levy
L. Collier
J. Rayment
A. Levy
L. Collier
J. Rayment
Approved by
Date Approved
Revisions Type
A. Levy
17 Oct 2008
A. Levy
22 Oct 2008
A. Levy
26 Oct 2008
Draft Ver 3 for
internal review
L. Collier
04 Nov 2008
Draft Ver 4 for
RTA comment
L. Collier
07 Nov 2008
Draft Ver 5 for
RTA comment
L. Collier
12 Nov 2008
Draft Ver 6 for
Exhibition
Preliminary
Draft for
comment
Preliminary
Draft for
comment Ver 2
Printed
12/11/2008
Last Saved
12/11/2008 1:44 PM
File Name
CE001081_GWH NPC_ Draft Report_rev6
Authors
Anissa Levy, Louise Collier, John Rayment, John Olsen, Leonard
Drynan, Rhys Thomson
Project Director
Jim Verco
Project Manager
Anissa Levy
Name of Organisation
Roads and Traffic Authority
Name of Project
Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic Review of Newnes Plateau Corridor Study
Name of Document
Technical Report
Document Version
Draft for Exhibition
Project Number
CE001081
CE001081_GWH NPC_ Draft Report_rev6
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Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
2
2
4
6
PART 1 BACKGROUND
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
PROJECT OVERVIEW
1.2
BACKGROUND
1.3
STUDY AREA
1.3.1
1.3.2
2
4
9
10
1.4
REPORT STRUCTURE
STRATEGIC CONTEXT
2.1
HISTORY OF THE ROUTE
2.2
EXISTING ROLE
2.3
STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
2.4
NEED FOR AN UPGRADE
2.4.1
2.4.2
2.4.3
3
Constraints mapping area
Transport planning area
10
12
12
13
14
16
Safety
Freight
Strategic planning
16
17
17
2.5
STUDY OBJECTIVES
PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS
3.1
BELLS LINE OF ROAD CORRIDOR STUDY
3.2
BELLS LINE OF ROAD DEVELOPMENT STUDY
3.3
GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY UPGRADE, LITTLE HARTLEY
3.4
MOUNT VICTORIA TO LITHGOW UPGRADE - CRASH REPORT
3.5
MOUNT VICTORIA TO LITHGOW UPGRADE – BACKGROUND REPORT
3.6
OTHER STUDIES
METHODOLOGY
4.1
APPROACH OVERVIEW
4.2
STAGED APPROACH
4.2.1
4.2.2
4.2.3
18
19
20
20
21
21
21
22
23
23
24
Phase A – assess inputs and constraints and select corridor
Phase B – corridor assessment
Phase C - recommendations
24
25
25
5
CONSULTATION
5.1
INTRODUCTION
5.2
STAKEHOLDER CONSTRAINTS WORKSHOP
5.3
PROPOSED STAKEHOLDER CORRIDOR WORKSHOPS
6
CORRIDOR IDENTIFICATION
6.1
HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT
6.2
VERTICAL ALIGNMENT
6.3
CARRIAGEWAY CONFIGURATION
PART 2 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS
7
INTRODUCTION
8
CONSTRAINTS IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS PROCESS
9
CONSTRAINTS MAPPING
9.1
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
9.1.1
9.1.2
9.1.3
9.1.4
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26
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27
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34
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Topography
Watercourses and dams
Geology and minerals
Mine subsidence
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Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.6
ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTAL
43
9.2.1
9.2.2
9.2.3
9.2.4
9.2.5
9.2.6
43
43
48
48
48
49
Parks and reserves
Threatened species and communities
Ecological communities
Water quality and catchments
Riparian corridors
Air quality, noise and pollution
HERITAGE ENVIRONMENT
51
9.3.1
9.3.2
9.3.3
51
52
57
Aboriginal heritage
Non-Aboriginal heritage
Native title
SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
58
9.4.1
9.4.2
9.4.3
9.4.4
58
58
61
61
Commercial value
Residence and key workplace locations
Education facilities
Social services
LAND USE AND PLANNING ENVIRONMENT
61
9.5.1
9.5.2
9.5.3
9.5.4
61
61
65
65
Land tenure
Major projects
Australian Defence Force land
Mining leases and plantations
EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE ENVIRONMENT
9.6.1
68
Roads, railways and electricity transmission lines
68
10
CONSTRAINT GRID CREATION
11
CONSTRAINTS WEIGHTING AND COMBINATION
12
CORRIDOR SELECTION
13
THE PRELIMINARY OPTION – KEY ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
PART 3 ENGINEERING DESIGN AND COSTING
COSTING
14
INTRODUCTION
15
DESIGN CRITERIA
15.1 OVERVIEW
15.2 MOUNT VICTORIA TO LITHGOW BASE CASE CORRIDOR
15.3 NEWNES PLATEAU CORRIDOR
16
CORRIDOR DESCRIPTION
16.1 OVERVIEW
16.2 CORRIDOR SELECTION PROCESS
16.3 DESIGN ASPECTS
16.3.1
16.3.2
16.3.3
16.3.4
16.3.5
16.3.6
16.3.7
16.3.8
16.4
17
71
75
79
81
83
84
85
85
85
86
87
87
87
87
General aspects
Survey
Typical cross sections
Overtaking provisions
Geometric design
Earthworks
Intersections and access
Bridges and structures
87
88
88
90
90
91
91
92
DESCRIPTION OF CORRIDORS
92
16.4.1 Proposed Mount Victoria to Lithgow base case corridor route option
16.4.2 Proposed Newnes Plateau corridor route option
16.4.3 Newnes Plateau option (grades six per cent—eight per cent)
92
94
96
STRATEGIC COST ESTIMATES
17.1 OVERVIEW
17.2 BASIS FOR COST ESTIMATES
97
97
97
17.2.1 Cost items and rates
97
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Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
17.2.2 Contingencies
17.2.3 Maintenance costs
17.3
17.4
99
99
SUMMARY OF COST ESTIMATES
SUMMARY OF MAINTENANCE COST ESTIMATES
99
101
17.4.1 Base costs for maintenance
17.4.2 Whole of life cost of maintenance
101
103
105
106
106
PART 4 TRANSPORT PLANNING
18
EXISTING TRANSPORT SITUATION
18.1 GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY (STATE HIGHWAY NO. 5)
18.2
18.3
18.4
18.5
18.6
18.7
19
106
108
STATION STREET/DARLING CAUSEWAY (MAIN ROAD NO. 184)
116
18.2.1 General description
18.2.2 Detailed descriptions
116
116
CHIFLEY ROAD TO MAIN STREET (MAIN ROAD NO. 516)
117
18.3.1 General description
18.3.2 Detailed descriptions
117
117
CARRIAGEWAY CHARACTERISTICS
ADJACENT LAND USES
ANNUAL AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC VOLUMES (AADT)
TRAFFIC FLOWS AND COMPOSITION
118
124
124
128
18.7.1 Daily traffic flows
18.7.2 Proportion of heavy vehicles
18.7.3 Peak traffic flows
128
130
130
18.8 ROAD SAFETY
18.9 ROAD LINK NETWORK PERFORMANCE
18.10 NUMBER PLATE SURVEY
18.11 TRAVEL TIMES
18.12 THROUGH TRAFFIC
18.13 EXISTING TRAVEL PATTERNS
TRANSPORT MODELLING
19.1 OVERVIEW OF ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY
19.2 MODEL DEVELOPMENT
135
145
154
154
154
156
159
159
159
19.2.1 TRARR performance model
19.2.2 SATURN models
159
165
FUTURE TRAVEL DEMANDS
168
19.3.1 Horizon years
19.3.2 Growth scenarios
168
168
19.3
20
18.1.1 General description
18.1.2 Detailed descriptions
NETWORK SCENARIOS
20.1 NETWORK OPTIONS
20.2
170
170
20.1.1 Network features
20.1.2 Model options
174
177
NETWORK TESTING RESULTS
178
20.2.1 Traffic volumes
20.2.2 Travel times
20.2.3 Network performance
179
188
189
193
194
194
194
195
PART 5 CONCLUSIONS
21
VIABILITY
21.1 ENVIRONMENTAL
21.2 ENGINEERING
21.3 TRANSPORT PLANNING
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Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
22
KEY ISSUES
22.1 ENVIRONMENTAL
22.2 ENGINEERING
22.3 TRANSPORT PLANNING
23
CONCLUDING STATEMENT
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
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Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
APPENDICES
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Great Western Highway Upgrade Map Emu Plains to Mount Victoria
Newnes Plateau corridor Workshop 2 September Sample Stakeholder Invitation
Letter
Western Advocate Article
Newnes Plateau corridor Workshop 2 September Notice in Lithgow Mercury
Newnes Plateau corridor Workshop 2 September ‘Letter to Householder’
Newnes Plateau corridor Workshop 2 September Meeting Notes
Mount Victoria to Lithgow base case Alignment
Newnes Plateau corridor Alignment
Basis for Cost Estimates
Cost Estimates
Road network inventory
2008 Classification counts
Full trip matrices
SATURN model outputs
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS
Photograph
Photograph
Photograph
Photograph
Photograph
Photograph
Photograph
Photograph
Photograph
Photograph
2.1
2.2
18.1
18.2
18.3
18.4
18.5
18.6
18.7
18.8
Mitchell’s Causeway on Victoria Pass – late 1800s
Bowenfels rail subway on Cooerwull Road (formerly Great Western Highway)
Great Western Highway, looking west at Harley Avenue, Mount Victoria
Great Western Highway, looking east at Burwood Road, Mount Victoria
Great Western Highway, looking west at Victoria Pass
Great Western Highway, looking west towards Mid Hartley Road, Little Hartley
Great Western Highway, looking west ascending River Lett Hill
Great Western Highway, looking south near Lee Street, Lithgow
Great Western Highway, looking east to Farmers Creek
Great Western Highway, looking west towards Castlereagh Highway
13
14
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
LIST OF TABLES
Table 8.1
Table 9.1
Table 9.2
Table 9.3
Table 10.1
Table 11.1
Table 17.1
Table 17.2
Table 17.3
Table 18.1
Table 18.2
Table 18.3
Table 18.4
Table 18.5
Table 18.6
Table 18.7
Table 18.8
Table 18.9
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Environmental categories and constraints
Threatened fauna species
Threatened flora species
Heritage listed items
Environmental constraints and ranking system
Proportionate weighting of constraints within categories
Cost estimates
Reality Check
Base costs for maintenance
AADT summary
AADT growth rates 1996 to 2005
2008 average weekday daily traffic volumes (AWD)
Average weekday daily heavy vehicle proportions (AWD)
Average weekday PM peak volumes
Road section summaries
Crash data from 2003 to 2007
Crash rates 2003 to 2007
Existing route operating characteristics (afternoon 4—5pm)
35
44
47
56
73
76
100
101
102
124
125
128
130
135
137
138
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12 November 2008
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Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
Table 18.10
Table 18.11
Table 18.12
Table 18.13
Table 18.14
Table 19.1
Table 19.2
Table 19.3
Table 19.4
Table 19.5
Table 19.6
Table 19.7
Table 20.1
Table 20.2
Table 20.3
Table 20.4
Table 20.5
Table 20.6
Table 20.7
Table 20.8
Existing route operating characteristics (night 8—9pm)
2008 summary trip matrix – light vehicles (4—5pm)
2008 summary trip matrix – heavy vehicles (4—5pm)
2008 summary trip matrix – light vehicles (8—9pm)
2008 summary trip matrix – heavy vehicles (8—9pm)
Existing route operating speeds – afternoon (4—5pm)
Existing route operating speeds – night (8—9pm)
Afternoon travel time comparison - modelled vs. observed
Evening travel time comparison - modelled vs. observed
Percentage of links with GEH < 5.0
Low growth assumptions
High growth assumptions
Comparison of journey distances (km)
Modelling iterations/options assessment and file naming convention
Modelling results – 2011 high/low growth (vehicles/day)
Modelling results – 2041 low growth (vehicles/day)
Modelling results – 2041 high growth (vehicles/day)
4—5 pm Travel times between Marrangaroo and Soldiers Pinch (minutes)
Vehicle operating time through study area
Vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) through study area
150
156
157
157
158
161
162
163
164
168
169
169
176
178
180
181
182
188
190
191
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1
Figure 1.2
Figure 1.3
Figure 1.4
Figure 1.5
Figure 2.1
Figure 4.1
Figure 6.1
Figure 6.2
Figure 6.3
Figure 6.4
Figure 9.1
Figure 9.2
Figure 9.3
Figure 9.4
Figure 9.5
Figure 9.6
Figure 9.7
Figure 9.8
Figure 9.9
Figure 9.10
Figure 9.11
Figure 9.12
Figure 9.13
Figure 9.14
Figure 9.15
Figure 9.16
Figure 9.17
Figure 10.1
Figure 10.2
Figure 11.1
Mount Victoria to Lithgow upgrade study initial study area
Locality map
Study region
Elevation model
Constraints mapping areas
Bells Line of Road corridor study preferred option
Methodology flowchart
Newnes Plateau corridor option with comparative base case corridor option
Three lane undivided carriageway
Three lane carriageway with central barrier
Four lane divided carriageway
Study area topography
Watercourses and dam/reservoirs
Major geological regions
Lithgow mine subsidence district
National parks and reserves
Threatened flora, fauna and ecological communities identified
Non-endangered ecological communities
Potential Aboriginal heritage areas
Non-Aboriginal heritage locations
Commercial opportunities
Residence and workplace locations
Educational facilities
Social services
Approved major projects and defence land
Mineral, coal and petroleum application and titles
Pine plantations
Existing infrastructure
Spatial ecology constraints
Topographic existing road constraints
Spatial financial constraints
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6
7
8
9
15
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60
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Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
Figure 11.2
Figure 11.3
Figure 11.4
Figure 12.1
Figure 16.1
Figure 16.2
Figure 16.3
Figure 18.1
Figure 18.2
Figure 18.3
Figure 18.4
Figure 18.5
Figure 18.6
Figure 18.7
Figure 18.8
Figure 18.9
Figure 18.10
Figure 18.11
Figure 18.12
Figure 18.13
Figure 18.14
Figure 18.15
Figure 18.16
Figure 18.17
Figure 18.18
Figure 18.19
Figure 18.20
Figure 18.21
Figure 18.22
Figure 18.23
Figure 18.24
Figure 19.1
Figure 19.2
Figure 20.1
Figure 20.2
Figure 20.3
Figure 20.4
Figure 20.5
Figure 20.6
Figure 20.7
Figure 20.8
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Spatial social constraints
Spatial environmental constraints
Cumulative spatial constraint map
Newnes Plateau corridor option with comparative base case corridor option
Four lane divided carriageway (option A)
Three Lane carriageway with central barrier (option B)
Three lane carriageway (option C)
Existing routes
Existing routes – number of lanes and centreline marking
Existing routes – shoulder width and type
Existing routes – speed zones
Existing routes – median type
Intersection treatments
AADT volume summary
AADT volume summary – Lithgow area
Classification count locations and summary volumes
Daily distribution of traffic – Great Western Highway at Tunnel Hill
Daily distribution of traffic – Great Western Hwy, east of Jenolan Caves Road
Daily distribution of traffic – Great Western Highway, west of Soldiers Pinch
Daily distribution of traffic – Chifley Road, north of Great Western Highway
Fatal crashes 2003 to 2007
Injury crashes 2003 to 2007
Tow-away crashes 2003 to 2007
All crashes 2003 to 2007
Great Western Highway operating parameters (4—5pm)
Darling Causeway operating parameters (4—5pm)
Chifley Road operating parameters (4—5pm)
Great Western Highway operating parameters (8—9pm)
Darling Causeway operating parameters (8—9pm)
Chifley Road operating parameters (8—9pm)
Number plate survey locations
Afternoon volume comparison (modelled vs. counts)
Evening volume comparison (modelled vs. counts)
‘Do minimum’ modelled network*
Mount Victoria to Lithgow base case corridor modelled network*
Newnes Plateau corridor modelled network*
‘Do minimum’ modelled volumes (veh/day)
Mount Victoria to Lithgow base case corridor modelled volumes (veh/day)
Newnes Plateau corridor moderate grade modelled volumes (veh/day)
Newnes Plateau corridor steep grade modelled volumes (veh/day)
Annual vehicles kilometres travelled (VKT) and vehicle operating times (VOT)
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Technical Report
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80
88
89
89
107
119
120
121
122
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129
131
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Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
FOREWORD
The Great Western Highway is the main road link between Sydney and Lithgow and beyond to
the central west of New South Wales.
The Great Western Highway features as:
A key freight route between Sydney and the central west of NSW, including the timber
industry in the Oberon area.
A tourist route with destinations including the Blue Mountains, Historic Hartley, Jenolan
Caves, Mudgee and Bathurst.
A connecting and local road between the many towns and villages along its length.
The Australian and NSW government, with the community, are investigating this section of the
Great Western Highway between Mount Victoria and Lithgow to determine the preferred
alignment for an upgrade.
Following initial community consultation for the investigation, some community members
requested that the RTA examine the viability of an alternative highway upgrade corridor from
Marangaroo (to the west of Lithgow) to the Newnes Plateau, Bell, across the Darling Causeway
to east of Mount Victoria.
This study has been completed in response to this request.
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Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The NSW and Australian government, in consultation with the community, are investigating
potential corridor alignments for the section of the Great Western Highway from Mount Victoria
to Lithgow. This study was commissioned to provide a strategic level review of a potential
Newnes Plateau corridor option assessment against a corridor option through the previously
identified Mount Victoria to Lithgow initial study area, in order to determine the viability of a
Newnes Plateau corridor.
The study involved:
An environmental constraint analysis.
An assessment of the existing transport situation.
Identification of a possible corridor option and a base case for comparison.
An evaluation of the transport corridor attraction and operational performance.
An assessment of the engineering costs of a possible corridor option.
A multi-criteria analysis of the option compared to the base case.
An evaluation of the viability of the possible corridor option.
A thorough strategic review was undertaken of the Newnes Plateau area. Based on the
assessment of a significant number of environmental constraints, a corridor through the
Newnes Plateau study area was identified and compared with a Mount Victoria to Lithgow base
case option. This corridor provided a more direct connection from Marrangaroo to Newnes
Junction, through to Bell and Soldiers Pinch. Whilst there are some issues in relation to
environmental constraints that may require further investigation, there were no specific issues
that entirely ruled out the provision of the proposed corridor.
A feasible engineering route was able to be determined through the corridor that met the key
design criteria for the route. There were no significant engineering issues that could not be
resolved.
The relatively direct nature of the proposed route meant that on the grounds of transport
planning the route would attract reasonable levels of traffic diversion from the existing Great
Western Highway, both for through traffic and also for some local trips. There are advantages
in both corridor options considered (i.e. the Mount Victoria to Lithgow base case and the
Newnes Plateau) with the Newnes Plateau corridor option providing diversion from the existing
Great Western Highway over a greater length. The Newnes Plateau corridor option also offers a
bypass of Lithgow with better connections to the Bells Line of Road. The Mount Victoria to
Lithgow base case corridor offers somewhat greater diversion levels from the existing Great
Western Highway but over a significantly shorter distance. The Mount Victoria to Lithgow base
case also offers benefits for traffic travelling to or from Lithgow that would utilise this
corridor.
Finally, the issue of total affordability must be considered. The Mount Victoria to Lithgow base
case corridor has been estimated to cost approximately $480m with the steep and moderate
grade options for the Newnes Plateau corridor estimated to cost approximately $780 and
$900m respectively (60 per cent and 85 per cent greater cost respectively).
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12 November 2008
Technical Report
Mount Victoria to Lithgow Great Western Highway Upgrade
Strategic review of a Newnes Plateau corridor
Whilst the total affordability is a limitation of the corridor, it is considered that the Newnes
Plateau corridor option provides sufficient social and environmental advantages to make it
worthy of further consideration at this stage, in the overall Mount Victoria to Lithgow study
area, subject to further consultation with the community.
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