Plans are afoot to join tunnels under Mt Victoria and Blackheath to create the longest road tunnel in the country.
Regional transport and roads minister, Paul Toole, revealed today that the government was looking at the feasibility of joining tunnels planned for Mt Victoria and Blackheath into an 11-kilometre tunnel, which would be the longest road tunnel in Australia.
Mr Toole also announced that Blackheath will get the 4.5-kilometre long tunnel option that many in the Upper Mountains village had been campaigning for. Unlike the shorter, four-kilometre option, the longer road will mean no properties will have to be acquired or demolished.
The tunnel will enter from the east near Evans Lookout Road and emerge near the heavy vehicle weighing station.
Mr Toole announced last month that a four-kilometre tunnel under Mt Victoria was "locked in". Previous plans for that village had a series of short tunnels, viaducts and cuttings to get from the top of the Mountains, through Victoria Pass down to the plains near Hartley.
