Seven-month project at Mount Victoria section of Great Western Highway

Traffic on the Blackheath side of Mount Victoria was reduced to a single lane for more than a fortnight after a landslip in early March 2022.

It came during a period of severe flooding in the Blue Mountains that, at one stage, led state Member for Bathurst Paul Toole to advise that, "unless absolutely necessary, people should reconsider any weekend travel across the Blue Mountains until transport connections can be restored".

"For essential travel, plan your trip now, allow extra time and consider staying an extra night in the Central West to avoid sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic," he said at the time as damage was assessed on the road and rail networks.

Nearly 18 months later, Transport for NSW says it is ready for its contractor to start slope stabilisation work on the eastbound carriageway near Fairy Bower Road at Mount Victoria to "provide a permanent fix for this section of highway and replace the emergency stabilisation work carried out in early 2022".

Transport for NSW regional director west Alistair Lunn said geotechnical investigations of the area had now been completed, along with a review of environmental factors and finalisation of a detailed design that, he said, would deliver a long-term solution.

"This section of highway near Mount Victoria was just one of the many important links right across the state's roads network that was damaged by extreme weather early last year, with significant cracking and a shallow failure at the crest of the slope that has affected the eastbound lane of the road over the rail bridge," he said.

"Emergency work carried out in March and April 2022 has kept the road open and allowed traffic to keep moving, but we're now ready to start work on a permanent fix that will improve safety for all road users in the area and help avoid future slope failures and road closures following heavy rainfall events."

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Transport for NSW says Ventia will be doing the slope remediation.

It says work will include the construction of an 80-metre long and five-metre high gabion basket retaining wall; drainage work, including the construction of a new stormwater chute; and landscaping and revegetating the slope with native plants.

"Before they can start construction work, crews have to remove 41 trees that will be mulched and reused on-site," Mr Lunn said.

"However, landscaping and revegetation at the completion of the project will result in a net increase in the number of trees at the site, with more than 150 trees to be replanted."

Transport for NSW says work on the slope stabilisation will start this Monday, August 21 and will be carried out between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

There will be no work on Sundays or public holidays.

Transport for NSW says work will take about seven months to complete, weather permitting, and the Great Western Highway will remain open while the work is completed.

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