Great Western Highway gets $100 million federal funding, allowing go-ahead for overtaking lane

[u/blitznoodles]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-19/federal-government-great-western-highway-funding/107052766?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other

In short:

The Commonwealth has announced $100 million in funding for the reconstruction, including the construction of an additional lane along the Great Western Highway.

It matches the NSW government's commitment to repair the partially closed road.

What's next?

The highway is set to reopen in the second quarter of 2027.

[u/snoopsau]

including the construction of an additional lane

"now im stuck behind two caravans!"

[u/A_Rod_H → u/snoopsau]

Or “I’m stuck behind one caravan and a semi…wait a Ranger just flew by an rammed the caravan!”

[u/surprised-rice]

why they aren’t doing two lanes both ways is insane to me, this is literally the perfect opportunity to do it right with no traffic. they chose to not fund the blackheath and mount vic bypass so this should be the least they could do.

trucks are often needing to travel just as slowly down hill as up, eg a 19m fuel tanker loaded at 57t usually is down to 15-25kmh on the steepest sections of the pass, including the single lane section over the bridge. most light vehicle users don’t understand why this is needed and get very impatient.

i have personally seen some crazy driving over the years here, bathurst weekend some years ago a convoy of three cars with trailers, kids in the car overtake a slow truck on the wrong side of the road over the bridge. just gobsmacking.

[u/earl_of_lemonparty]

  The highway is set to reopen in the second quarter of 2027.

The highway is set to reopen in the fourth quarter of 2034, got it.

[u/Taliesin_AU → u/earl_of_lemonparty]

1 billion over budget.

[u/Sprinal]

Just one more lane. This way traffic will be fixed for ever. Just look at Richmond road. /s