The Great Western Highway in the Blue Mountains

This case study demonstrates design principle two from the Beyond the Pavement urban design guide: Fitting with the built fabric.

The Great Western Highway in the Blue Mountains

An urban design approach has been taken to the systematic upgrade of the Great Western Highway along the dramatic ridgeline of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. As well as being a key inter-regional highway it serves as the principle local traffic spine for many towns along its length connecting local communities.

The quality of the public domain, the frontages and access are important issues within the mountains. The basic built structure of the corridor is a pattern of villages and towns, adjacent to or straddling the intertwined highway and railway alignments, separated by natural bushland. This pattern has been described as ‘a string of pearls’ whose integrity needed to be protected.

The town of Leura is a major NSW tourist destination and to protect its fabric and the Leura Mall—a structuring street of the town—the Great Western Highway was set in a cutting with a 100+m land-bridge (1). At Wentworth Falls (2) terracing (independent carriageway grading) and stone work has layered the roads in the mountain setting.

At Hazelbrook new pedestrian bridges and a preserved and improved park has ensured good connection across the highway to the railway station. At Lawson a new town centre has been created off the highway, (3) the town square has been improved and old cart tracks from the original route, preserved and interpreted.

At Falconbridge the speed limits have been dropped to 60km/h and the designed speed matched to the posted speed to reduce road standards and geometries to provide a more fitting design. The whole approach to the Great Western Highway upgrade has been one of place-making so that the outcome is accepted by the community and the road user. Tourism has improved and so has road safety. Finally it is notable that with the support of council and innovative designers, not one noise wall has been built on this whole stretch of road.

Memory Park was retained and improved in the upgrade works to the Great Western Highway at Hazelbrook. The park provides a reflective space for people shielded from noise below the corridor alignment.

The Great Western Highway upgrade at the historic Blue Mountains town of Leura was set below the grade of Leura Mall allowing a 110m wide land-bridge, minimising traffic noise, creating views and forming a sensitive continuation of the main street.

Lawson Douglass town centre revitalised and separated from traffic as part of the Great Western Highway Upgrade.