The re-opening of the Galston Gorge has been a welcome relief for locals, after some three months of closure. Galston Road was closed in early August to allow for major stabilisation and engineering works following local flooding in the area.
NSW Hornsby MP and Treasurer Matt Kean welcomed the re-opening and thanked affected motorists for their “immense patience during this difficult time”.
“The closure of Galston Road through the Gorge has had a significant impact on many local residents,” Mr Kean said.
He said he was following the progress of the remediation works “very closely” knowing how important access to the road was, particularly for the rural community.
“The work being done was both permanent remediation and a preventative measure to reduce the chances of future road closures.”
Crews removed 60 tonnes of sandstone and 340 tonnes of soil in the repairs, most of it undertaken in difficult terrain, requiring construction teams to abseil down steep rock faces to finish the job.
83 rock bolts were drilled eight metres into rock face to anchor the slope; and 16 horizontal drains installed to draw out moisture and construction of a retaining wall to secure the slope.
De-vegetation, excavation and additional routine maintenance was also carried out.
Mr Kean said some remaining work will be completed during nightworks “so motorists will be able to use the road during the day and avoid disruptions during the HSC exam period”.
The nightworks will continue until late November – between 8pm and 5am, when the road will be closed.
Motorists are encouraged to seek out the latest traffic updates, by calling 132 701, visiting livetraffic.com or downloading the Live Traffic NSW app.
