'Completely impassable': Merriwa to Willow Tree Road condition deteriorating, now a major landslip

Once a well-used freight route connecting the New England Highway to the Golden Highway, the vital mountain range crossing closed to traffic in January due to a series of dangerous tension cracks, which have now become a major landslip.

The alternative option - via the New England Highway and Scone/Bunnan Road - adds an extra 44 kilometres, costing some Upper Hunter and Liverpool Plains residents hundreds in additional travel dollars a week.

The MP inspected the failed mountain pass - also known as Coulson Creek Road - this week, after being bombarded with requests to make a temporary single lane road an option.

But, as the photos clearly indicate, that is currently not an option, with the road having "failed to the point that it is now completely impassable".

"Upper Hunter Shire Council (UHSC) have taken the correct decision to completely close the road for safety reasons," he said.

Both the Liverpool Plains and Upper Hunter shire councils and the state and federal government have already injected well over $12 million into failed repairs on the road. The failed section is completely in the Upper Hunter shire.

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Despite this, Mr Layzell said fixing the road is top priority, but the full extent of the project rebuild cost is unknown.

The first stage of works to remove the failed material and complete final geotechnical design work will begin "as soon as possible", he said.

"[Upper Hunter shire] council will meet next Monday night to finalise the start of the works," he said.

"Council will use funds available from the pre-approved $5 million loan facility."

After this, works will commence once the design has been completed, the works tendered and the contractors engaged, with the final design work expected to be completed in September, he said.

Then, tendering for the project will commence in about October, with the hope the project will be awarded to a civil contractor by the end of the year.

If all goes well, the road could be functional again in late 2023.

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