Motorists, school buses and heavy vehicles between Lithgow and Mount Victoria are being detoured and losing the direct Great Western Highway link after both lanes at victoria pass were closed for safety on March 9 at 12: 00 a. m. ET, Transport for NSW said. Crews are carrying out extended geotechnical assessments following new defects.
Lithgow and Mount Victoria drivers face enforced detours and service changes
Both lanes of the Great Western Highway are closed between Lithgow and Mount Victoria until further notice, forcing traffic to use Main Street, Chifley Road and the Darling Causeway as diversions. School buses are being rerouted away from the area, and Mr Fuller acknowledged the restriction will inconvenience motorists and heavy vehicle users, including the freight industry.
Victoria Pass: Transport for NSW cites pavement cracks and substructure movement at Mitchell’s Causeway
Transport for NSW crews first identified a small defect in the road surface at Mitchell’s Causeway late on Thursday. Cracks in the pavement were later identified on Sunday night, March 8, and geotechnical monitoring confirmed movement of the road’s substructure, prompting the full closure. Transport for NSW Deputy Secretary Road Maintenance and Resilience Matt Fuller said safety was the priority and that the situation is “evolving and complex. “
Heritage-listed Mitchell’s Causeway and political reaction shape urgency
Mitchell’s Causeway, also known locally as the Convict Bridge and constructed by convicts in the 1830s, is included in scheduled inspections; Transport for NSW installed equipment in December 2025 to allow real-time monitoring of the slope conditions. Member for Bathurst Paul Toole criticized the government updates, saying the closure risks isolating the Central West from the state’s transport arteries if the road remains shut.
Road access restrictions were initially limited to eastbound traffic to allow geotechnical staff to investigate, but were expanded after monitoring confirmed movement. For now, motorists at victoria pass must follow the Lithgow diversion route until assessments conclude.
Transport for NSW said crews have been working around the clock carrying out thorough geotechnical assessments at Mitchell’s Causeway and that the work will continue into next week. That work includes monitoring slope and retaining structure assets as part of the agency’s ongoing asset management program.
Traffic management is in place to rejoin the Great Western Highway at Mount Victoria for vehicles using the diversion route. Authorities have emphasized safety as the reason for the heavy restrictions and closures, and have acknowledged frustration among road users and the freight industry.
Transport for NSW has extended an earlier eastbound restriction and confirmed geotechnical assessments will continue; the eastbound closure has been extended until the end of Tuesday, March 10. If geotechnical monitoring shows no further movement, Transport for NSW said it could then consider reopening the highway.
