A permanent access road to Wolgan Valley is still years away as Lithgow City Council and engineers determine the best infrastructure design.
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The valley has been without a proper access road for a year, following a major landslip in November 2022 that caused the eventual permanent closure of Wolgan Gap Road due to ongoing safety concerns.
According to General Manager of Lithgow City Council, Craig Butler, the team has shortlisted three out of nine options for a new road after a report was conducted by firm, WSP Engineers.
"We see this as evidence, tangible evidence of this council's commitment to resolving the great challenge that the wolgan Valley community will have for several years," Mr Butler said.
"This will be a multi year project. There's no getting around that fact."
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"I just want to say that Lithgow Council is working very closely with the New South Wales Government and doing everything that it can to deliver this complex piece of engineering infrastructure as soon as possible."
WSP Engineering Consultant for the Wolgan Valley road project, Mark Schofield, said one of the shortlisted options include a road that stops on the eastern side of the donkey steps track.
"It has a bridge at the top, which avoids having to do major cutting work i into the natural escarpment there. And it involves a switch back to enable us to get a bit of extra limb from the road," Mr Schofield said
"The gradients aren't as steep as the donkey step track. We thought that option has some merit."
According to Mr Schofield, another option starts further north and starts to cut down towards the valley
"At the point where it enters the valley to the east of the donkey steps track there, it's already about 50 metres below ground level,"
"It enters the remainder of the valley after the bridge at a lower level down and so has less impact on those unstable areas of ground because the gradients in that area will the natural ground form, which is flatter and allows the gradients and curvature to be a lot easier."
"That option is an easier road to drive on."
Mr Schofield said the final option starts on the Western side of the Donkey steps.
"Once again, I did bridges over to avoid cutting into the rock forms at the top and it follows a very similar sort of switchback arrangement to get down to the flatter grades near the bottom," Mr Schofield said.
Mr Butler said there are a lot of factors involved in the process of making the best decision for the Wolgan Community.
"In the sense of being multicriteria assessment, there is material navigating between cost, environmental considerations. Recovered costs, engineering factors, constructability lessons, drivability and safety," Mr Butler said.
Mr Butler confirmed that until the permanent road is completed, the Donkey steps will remain the only access road for residents.
"The current situation will be the status quo, and we feel we really feel for that community," Mr Butler said.
"I think it's amongst the steepest, steepest roads in the world."
Mr Butler said he anticipates a decision on which option will be chosen will be made early next year.
Reidun Berntsen
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
