The Government of New South Wales has awarded an environmental assessment contract to Aecom Australia for the Great Western highway tunnel PPP project.

The 11 km-long tunnel will connect Blackheath and Little Hartley in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales. The project is an essential part of the Great Western Highway redevelopment between Katoomba and Lithgow. The tunnel will be the longest road tunnel in Australia. 

The environmental assessment will focus on continuing the detailed environmental investigations to confirm the feasibility of a tunnel in the proposed location and will provide the basis for the Environmental Impact Statement.