Bulli Pass Shut for Two Months

THE Roads and Maritime Service has advised that the Bulli Pass will be closed for two months from early October to carry out essential safety improvement work.

The NSW Government will spend $5 million to install around 1.1 kilometre of rock fall protection fencing from the Princes Motorway to ‘The Elbow’ and safety ramp on the Pass.

The first stage of fencing involves more than 500 metres being installed on high priority areas identified as having an increased risk of rock falls. The fence will run above the road and barriers will be installed in major gullies to collect debris, while further vegetation will be cleared and pruned from the road edge.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra and South Coast Gareth Ward said the work will greatly improve safety for motorists on the section and has been coordinated with emergency services including New South Wales Police, Fire and Ambulance.

The road will be closed for 24 hours, seven days a week in both directions from Tuesday October 4 to Monday December 5.

“This is the safest way to carry out the work, for the long term benefit of all road users,” Mr Ward said.

The road will reopen in both directions on the weekend of October 29-30for the arrival in Port Kembla of the Radiance of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship and on the weekend of November 5-6 for the MS Sydney to Gong annual bike ride.

“The closure will also allow investigations to be carried out on other sections of Bulli Pass,”he said.

“This first stage of work has been planned to be completed before the summer Christmas and New Year holidays.”

Detours will be in place via Lawrence Hargrave Drive and the M1 Princes Motorway, or via Memorial Drive and the M1, increasing journey times by additional 15 to 30 minutes.

Traffic volumes on the M1 Princes Motorway at Mount Ousley will be higher than usual during the closure and motorists are advised to allow extra travel time, travel outside of peak or use public transport where possible. Access for residents will be maintained during the closure.

“Roads and Maritime understand inconvenience will be experienced by road users and thanks the community for its patience while this essential safety work is carried out,”Mr Ward said.

An additional 500 metres of rock fall protection fencing will be installed during the second stage of work with a road closure expected to take place between late April and June 2017.

For more information visit http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/bullipassclosure. For the latest traffic information, visit http://www.livetraffic.com, download the Live Traffic App or call the Transport Management Centre on 132 701.