Great Western Highway Collapse: Frustration and Uncertainty

0:00You're listening to Sydney News today, powered by the Daily News Now. A vital section of the Great Western Highway west of Sydney has shut down indefinitely. The Victoria Pass stretch features a nearly 200-year-old stone causeway, built by convicts that's now cracking and at risk of collapse. Late last week, damage forced first one lane closed, then both, as deal technical checks showed the base shifting in a complex situation. For decades, folks in the central west have relied on the steep, narrow road, while Sydney commuters got billions and upgrades. Officials with transport for New South Wales call it an evolving problem with no clear cause yet. Meanwhile, they've diverted traffic through local streets like Main Street and Chiffley Road, adding at least one hour to round trips. Local reactions run hot, with businesses calling the highway a ghost road. One shop owner worries about keeping her seven full-time staff amid lost customers, and her school run to Mount Victoria, ballooned from 10 minutes to, a grueling one and a half hour round trip.

1:01The Liffgaumeir says residents feel like second-class citizens stuck using an 1800's bridge in 2026. Politics has kicked in too, with blame over a pass plan for 21 kilometer tunnels under the pass. The former government studied it for years, and millions, but never fully funded it. The current team scrapped the ideas too costly, leaving truckers like those crossing daily fuming over extreme disruptions. 90 technical experts are on site now, but mystery lingers on repairs or timelines could be months or years. The road's minister acknowledges the frustration and hurt, stressing safety first while eyeing upgrades to a northern bypass route. According to officials, no one wants injuries from shortcuts. A quick thank you to our sponsor of today's episode. When you want calm, do not reach for your phone. Lay back and listen. S-O-L-I-SoliPillow.com