The Great Western Highway joins Sydney to Bathurst, crossing mountains, bushland, farmland and varied village landscapes. It took Cox six months to build from July 7, 1814 to January 18, 1815.
Initially, inns flourished along its length. Gradually, villages developed.
Rail, arriving in the 1860s, shared the mountains' spine with the road. Trains were faster and more comfortable and the road fell into disrepair.
The inns largely disappeared but their villages grew steadily. Railway workers, tradespeople and holiday-makers bolstered populations.
In 1817, Alan Cunningham, government botanist, called the road rugged and oppressive. At Linden, government carters had already forged side-tracks.
Surveyor-General Thomas Mitchell re-routed the road on both the eastern and western escarpments in 1832.
Traffic crossed Lennox Bridge, travelling up Mitchell's Pass to Blaxland, while Victoria Pass replaced Mt York's precipitous descent.
But Victoria Pass was too steep for early motor cars, and Berghofer's Pass was opened in 1912.
Improvement in cars saw Victoria Pass re-opening in 1920 as motorised traffic increased throughout the Mountains.
By 1924, Knapsack Viaduct was carrying motor traffic, not trains, as part of the developing Lapstone deviation.
In the 19th century, local newspapers debated the state of the roads, especially potholes so large that horse or bullock could disappear into them.
However, in the 20th century, speed, travelling-time, narrow, curving roads and railway underpasses caused more concern.
Some villagers wanted no changes to the road. Others demanded improvements.
Linden experienced upgrades in the 1860s allowing trains to share its narrow terrain, and in 1905 to improve the road.
In 1967, Springwood's main thoroughfare was bypassed, eliminating two railway underpasses.
The level crossing at Katoomba closed to traffic on January 1, 1986, after Yeaman Bridge opened in May 1985. Another bottleneck improved.
In 1994, safety upgrades on the Woodford Bends ensured both convenience for locals and better times for travellers. The Appian Way bridged the highway.
In 2001, Linden received a $28 million gift: a four-lane highway and Tollhurst Drive Bridge constructed.
The weekly Sunday night crawl back to Sydney was lessened.
However, better roads meant more traffic and more traffic needed even better roads.
Lawson reacted strongly against change. The creation of four lanes through Lawson was strongly opposed, but this opposition lost. A revitalised Lawson appeared in 2015.
According to the authorities, the upgraded highway at Lawson improved travelling time, reduced congestion and enhanced road safety for all road users including cyclists and pedestrians.
Controversy moved west to Katoomba again and Blackheath, focusing on tunnels and bridges. Should the road descend into the subterranean depths or span the heavens?
Each solution seems to create more problems for the Great Western highway.
- Robyne Ridge is publicity office for Blue Mountains Historical Society