For anyone who regularly winds through the mountains along Bells Line of Road, the stretch near Mount Tomah is about to feel a little different.
From Monday 13 July, work crews move in to tackle slope stabilisation and rebuild sections of pavement — the kind of unglamorous but essential upkeep that keeps a mountain road safe for the long haul. It is scheduled to run through to Friday 2 October, conditions permitting.
The project’s rhythm has been built around giving locals their road back each weekend. Day crews clock in from 7 am to 5 pm, night teams take over from 7 pm to 5 am on weeknights, and by Friday evening the tools are packed away. No work is done on Friday nights, weekends or public holidays, meaning the usual weekend flow of visitors heading up to the Blue Mountains won’t be disrupted.
During the week, though, patience will be the order of the day. A 40 km/h limit and a round-the-clock single-lane closure will be in force Monday to Friday, with pilot vehicles guiding cars safely through the active zone.
Nobody is being locked out — the road remains open the whole time — but Transport for NSW is asking for a little grace, suggesting an extra five minutes be added to travel plans.
There is a broader picture here too. With Victoria Pass still closed, authorities have been carefully staggering roadworks across the Blue Mountains so that communities aren’t hit with multiple closures at once — a reminder that this project is one piece of a much larger regional puzzle.
Anyone planning a drive through the area can check current conditions via 132 701, the Live Traffic NSW website, or the Live Traffic NSW app.