Lithgow Main Street Restoration – Stage 2

Stage 2 will see the pavers and kerb replaced between Eskbank Street and Bridge Street The pavers are being replaced with concrete footpath, bordered by bluestone pavers with rustic brick banding – the same theme as used in Stage 1 works at Cook Street Plaza. The project emphasises pedestrian thoroughfare and walkability.  

Stormwater pipes under the footpath are being replaced, there will be a new concrete kerb installed, and compliant disabled parking spaces and loading zones will be installed. 

Works also include further improvements like green scaping by built in garden beds and new traffic signs and line marking. 

The pedestrian crossing at the eastern end of Main Street will be upgraded to a raised pedestrian crossing with improved gardens and lighting. 

Improved accessible parking spaces and relocation of loading zones will also be installed to current standards making it easier for the community to use. 

As further funding is received, Council will continue the works on the southern (Mort Street) side of Main Street, and then progress eastward through future stages which will be delivered over multiple years.  

Revamping and modernising of the Main Street façade has not been undertaken for a number of years, and these improvements will revitalise the look of Main Street, attracting more businesses to the area. This in turn will improve the vibrancy of the street atmosphere and expand on shopping opportunities for the community. 

The existing pavers are outdated, and reached the end of their useful life, becoming slippery in wet weather.  Replacing the pavers modern concrete with bluestone paving and brick banding will further improve the safety of the community.   

The gradient of the existing footpath and parking access ramps are too steep and don’t comply with current accessibility standards.  The design level of the new footpath will make Main Street easier to walk along for people with mobility issues. 

Council further took the opportunity to address the traffic issues and near miss conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles at the pedestrian crossing as part of this project. 

The most noticeable changes will include concrete replacing pavers to lighten the appearance of the street.   

The disabled parking space and loading zone on the southern side of Main Street has been relocated to the western end of the block, near Eskbank Street.  This was to enable a ramp to be placed that meets current standards.  Whilst this is further away from the current one located in the middle of the block, it will be balanced by the improvements in the gradient to the footpath, making is easier for mobility impaired community members to travel further distances. 

The eastern end of the southern side of the block needs some major relevelling work and will result in a higher double kerb.  To minimise trip and fall incidents, low level green scaped garden beds will be installed to soften the appearance, as well as encourage pedestrians to utilise the built-in steps at selected safe locations. 

The trailed traffic island at the intersection of Main Street and Bridge Street has proven successful in reducing the number of near miss collisions and will be permanently installed as part of this work.  The island will be a larger garden bed, again, adding to the landscaping areas of the project. 

A raised pedestrian crossing will also be a major change to the area, and increase the visibility of pedestrians waiting to cross. 

Surveying works for the project are ongoing as of 2nd of December with a short break over the Christmas period. It is expected that works will progress toward Eskbank Street over the first half of 2025 and works are scheduled to be completed at the end of June 2025. 

Eligibility for this grant funding has expired as resourcing and budgetary restraints restricted Councils ability to complete project planning and commence construction. 

Specifically, the Council had to allocate scarce project management resources towards projects with more imminent impacts on the community including the seven-natural disaster declarations.  The Council has also had difficulty retaining an ongoing Project Managers for the Main Street upgrade because of a competitive employment market.  

The expiration of this funding means that, the project has had to be re-scoped to reflect the available funding. The Federal funding for this project was just one component of this project.   

The Council will still be delivering the footpath upgrade between Bridge Street and Eskbank Street, with the construction tender for this section to be released in September. This section has been selected based on the greater risk posed to pedestrians by uneven pavers in this part of main street to ensure that priority work is done in the interest of safety. 

The Council will advocate to the Federal Government to reinstate the funding for the continuation of the project from Eskbank Street to Cook Street and is also developing a grant application for other Australian Government funding streams.  

A Project delivery oversight group has been established by Council to ensure comprehensive governance of all projects being delivered by Council, including projects funded by both state and federal Governments. Already this group is leading changes to Council’s project management processes. Continued reporting will also ensure that Councillors are informed directly on the delivery programs and risks with key projects. The Council has also increased the capacity of the infrastructure project management team to meet grant project delivery timeframes and commitments 

The council will set up a dedicated webpage for this project which will detail the timelines and progress of the project.

Regular updates will be posted on Council’s Facebook page @LithgowCityCouncil and included in Council’s weekly subscriber eNewsletter, Council Connections. You can subscribe via the www.ourplaceourfuture.lithgow.com website.
Periodic updates will be included in the Council Community Update published monthly in the Lithgow Mercury and Village Voice.

Where appropriate, radio advertising will be used to inform of any additional disruption to the community such as temporary street closures.

Council’s Project Manager will liaise with individual businesses on a regular basis and will identify how they wish to receive project updates in addition to the means outlined above.

How will the community be impacted? 

As with all projects, impacts to the community are expected especially during the construction phase. 

Some impacts to be expected are: 

• Temporary relocation of the bus zone during construction.  Bus services will still run as scheduled, just the pickup / drop off location will be temporarily moved out of the construction zone. 

• Reduced parking in Main Street.  As works roll along the street, certain locations will be blocked off as part of the construction zone.  This will limit the parking available in Main Street, with parking still being available at the public car parks in Railway Parade and Mort Street during works 

• Changed traffic conditions.  Traffic controllers will be operational at the intersection of Main Street and Bridge Street during works, and motorists are advised to either take alternative routes of travel, and expect delays 

• General construction noise / dust.  With any construction project, some level of construction noise and dust is to be expected.  These will be kept to a minimum, and monitored by the Contractor to ensure both noise and dust are not excessive. 

• Changed pedestrian paths.  During works, safe passage of pedestrians will be provided around the work site, either via a road shoulder detour or temporary crossing to the other side of the road.   

These impacts are a necessary part of construction, and can not be avoided.  All care is taken by both Council and the Contractor in planning works to ensure that both the community and business impacts are kept to a minimum. 

The project is scheduled to start in early 2025 and construction will take 9-12 months to complete. 

The project is predominantly grant funded with $1.5m from the State Government and The Council is contributing $800k in the 2024/25 Operational Plan funded from Special Parking Rate levies held in reserve. 

The Council received a $2m grant in 2022 from the State Government which relied upon Council matching the fund dollar for dollar. The Council had also secured funding from the Federal Government which expired in June 2024 which resulted in the project needing to be re-scoped.  

Grant funding from Governments can only be spent on the project that it was received for. It cannot be used for another project or purpose. 

The special rate for parking for 151 CBD properties has continued within the designated area of Lithgow. At the Council meeting held on 26 November 2018 it was resolved:
18 – 349 RESOLVED
THAT Council take the following action from the 2019/20 financial year:

1. Utilise the parking special rate for Lithgow CBD capital works and maintenance.
2. Determine a specific program of works and activities which will be funded from the parking special rate for inclusion in each year’s Operational Plan (Revenue Policy).
3. Any parking special rate funds not utilised in a financial year be placed in an internally restricted reserve for future Lithgow CBD capital works and maintenance.
4. That the outcome of the program is reported to the Council annually and that the program is reviewed in 5 years.

The ad valorem rate and estimated yield is provided below.
The remaining Parking Special Rate income will be allocated to the Main Street Revitalisation project as a co-contribution for the grant funded project. Any parking special rate funds not utilised will be placed in an internally restricted reserve for future Lithgow CBD capital works and maintenance”.
The review of the Parking Special Rate is due for completion by 30 June 2024.

Council holds $500Kin reserves for ongoing CBD capital works. The funds were specifically set aside to build a grant funding co-contribution for the Main Street Upgrade project.

The council is not considering the installation of parking meters as part of this project.

Stage 2 will see the pavers and kerb replaced between Cook Street and Bridge Street with shotblast concrete interspersed with heritage brick banding and bluestone edges. The project emphasises pedestrian thoroughfare and walkability. A specific outcome of this work will be the reconstruction of all pram ramps that meet current accessibility standards. 

The Main Street Restoration Project is a multi-stage project with funding of later stages still to be secured. The renewal of the footpath between Cook Street and Lithgow Street is part of the Master Action Plan. The process will commence once funding is secured.

All CBD businesses are invited to provide feedback on Stage 2 of the project. This will inform the final look and feel of the Entire length of Main Street from Lithgow Street to Bridge Street.

The existing brick kerb is 200mm high which is above the standard 150mm. Kerb stones come in different sizes depending on their intended use. Standard sizes can range from 150mm to 300mm in height. The height of 200mm kerb stones will be used as it is needed to incorporate the outlets for rainwater from the awnings. Part of the scope of work for the footpath renewal will be to raise the outlets by 50mm to accommodate a new asphalt road surface as part of a future stage in the Main Street upgrade. Once the new surface is installed, the height of the kerb will be reduced to 150mm.

The Main Street Restoration Project is a multi-stage project with funding of later stages still to be secured. Asphalting of the concrete road is reliant upon the footpath being fully replaced between Bridge Street and Lithgow Street.

Funding for this later stage of the Main Street upgrade is still to be secured. The first step is the upgrade of the entire footpath, kerb & gutter, drainage and existing inground services. Asphalting of the concrete road is reliant upon the footpath being fully replaced between Bridge Street and Lithgow Street.

Planters currently exist on Main Street and do not interfere with entering and exiting your car. The new proposed planters will be similar in size to the existing planters.

The EV Charging Strategy was developed in collaboration with the Lithgow Community Power Project by the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures in 2022 – Lithgow’s Electric Car Parks – An EV charging strategy for the Lithgow LGA and Main Street Precinct. The Strategy provides a framework for a consistent, community-driven approach to the deployment of EV destination charging infrastructure by Council and third-party service providers.

The Strategy sets out a long-term vision (10 years) with a short-term (3 years) and Implementation Plan for how publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure will be deployed within the Lithgow LGA. The resulting services are intended to benefit residents, visitors, and businesses with an initial focus on the Lithgow CBD precinct.

A key goal of the Council is to ensure that there is adequate charging infrastructure to support EV users wanting to make the best use of their time. The Council is currently working with NRMA (National Road and Motorist Association) on a project to install an EV Charging Station in the Eskbank Street Carpark, not Main Street. This location will enable visitors to take advantage of our cafes and shops whilst their vehicle is charging. Council executed the Section 88B instrument in December, formalising the power easement creation. The chargers will be commissioned early in the new year. 

The Main Street Revitalisation Action Plan process has identified that the Main Street entry could be significantly improved to provide a more generous civic access which could improve night comfort and security.
All pram ramps will also be replaced to ensure compliance with modern standards, and disabled parking spaces will also be upgraded to ensure they meet current standards regarding length, width, crossfall and footpath accessibility.

All pram ramps will also be replaced to ensure compliance with modern standards, and disabled parking spaces will also be upgraded to ensure they meet current standards regarding length, width, crossfall and footpath accessibility. This will occur along the northern side of Main Street between Bridge Street and Eskbank Street as oart of the Stage 2a works. 

A study was performed to evaluate the performance of different surfaces for the Main Street footpath which included bluestone pavers compared to concrete. The study concluded that concrete outperformed the bluestone pavers in slip resistance and durability.

It is also a simpler process to reinstate slip resistance of concrete over time with sand blasting, acid etching, or similar.

The materials that will be used for this project are still in keeping with the heritage and the surrounding environment of Lithgow. The concrete pavement lifts and lightens the Main Street and is softened by heritage brick bands and bluestone which speak to the heritage architecture and fabric of Lithgow.

The use of concrete also allows for easier cleaning and maintenance. Overall, the cost to construct and whole of life cost is less than it would be for installation and ongoing maintenance of the bluestone pavers for the entire footpath.

The new handrails have been designed to comply with the current Australian Standards (AS1428) – “The top of the handrail must be not less than 865mm or greater than 1000mm from the nosing of a stair or the plane of the finished floor level on a ramp, walkway or landing”.

Plantings will be included at the intersections of Eskbank Street and Bridge Streets. Bridge Street will become a focal entry to the Main Street like the Lithgow Street intersection.

Three concepts have been developed for the Eskbank Street intersection to soften and make this a ‘green’ focal point.

Pot planters and trellis planters to be placed against large blank walls or around awning posts will be placed at intervals along the Main Street.

The council will make every effort to consult with businesses to establish needs in relation to on-street dining. Overall, this project is being delivered to make Main Street a more attractive place to shop and conduct business. On street trading contributes to a more vibrant, lively and accommodating space. Contributing to the potential for on-street trading strongly features as part of this project.

The council will be working with the retailers and businesses on Main Street to ascertain their level of interest in maintaining planter pots.

The council has also commenced a program of replacing ‘high maintenance’ street tree species with less labor-intensive species throughout the LGA. This will enable Council to divert Parks & Garden staff from pruning programs to other projects such as maintaining green spaces in the CBD. To date, this work has already occurred on Mort Street, Lithgow, with several ‘mop tops’ being replaced with a more appropriate species.

Council will be considering a detailed design of the permanent plantings which will include low-maintenance species and the development of maintenance schedules to ensure that greenspaces are always looking their best. Engagement with Council’s employed horticulturalists will occur as part of the broader consultation for this project to ensure this aspect of the yearly maintenance is appropriately addressed.

It should be noted that there may be times when the timeframes may need to be adjusted due to unforeseen circumstances. The infrastructure under the surface in Main Street is ageing and something unplanned may be found. In such cases, Council will work with business and keep everyone informed of any deviations or extensions to timeframes as the project progresses. 

The council acknowledges that businesses and the community may be disrupted during the project. However, it is intended that the project will be undertaken in stages to reduce any inconvenience. The council will not be ripping the footpath up all in one go. The project will be staged so that the work is undertaken in small sections and then progressed forward. All businesses will be aware of when works will be undertaken in front of them so they can plan their trading and inform their customers/clients.

It should be noted that there may be times when the timeframes may need to be adjusted due to unforeseen circumstances. The infrastructure under the surface in Main Street is ageing and something unplanned may be found. In such cases, Council will work with business and keep everyone informed of any deviations or extensions to timeframes as the project progresses.

Businesses will be aware of when the footpath renewal is going to be undertaken in front of their shop or business. Every effort will be made to minimise impact to businesses during high-traffic periods. A schedule of work will be available in advance so they will be able to plan for this disruption and keep their loyal customers or clients informed of any changes to appointments or their hours of service.

No, Council has factored in ‘hold points’ in the project timeline. This will mean that for a short period preceding and during these events, the upgrade project will temporarily stop. This will enable all businesses to take advantage of visitor trading during events and the CBD will be promoted as “open for business”.

Yes, weather conditions will be factored into the project. One advantage of this project is the awnings will provide under-cover construction enabling work to continue during adverse weather.

All work is expected to be undertaken during normal working hours of 7.00am to 6.00pm weekdays, and 8.00am to 1.00pm Saturdays. No work outside these hours, including Sunday or Public holidays will be undertaken without Council permission, and Council will letterbox drop residents and businesses advice if this is to occur, However if there is a temporary change to the hours of operation, Council will ensure that all Main Street residents are informed in advance. 

Yes, as part of this stage of the project, the Council engaged the landscape architects, Civic Designers and Structural engineers who have been involved with the project since its conception, to review the original masterplan. The materials that will be used for this project are still in keeping with the heritage setting and the surrounding environment of Lithgow. The concrete pavement lifts and lightens the Main Street and is softened by heritage brick bands and bluestone which speak to the heritage architecture and fabric of Lithgow. The greening will mirror the surrounding bush clad hills that can be seen from anywhere in the CBD. 

 Eligibility for this grant funding  expired as resourcing and budgetary restraints restricted Councils ability to complete project planning and commence construction.  

Specifically, the Council had to allocate scarce project management resources towards projects with more imminent impacts on the community including the seven-natural disaster declarations.  

 The Council has also had difficulty retaining an ongoing Project Managers for the Main Street upgrade because of a competitive employment market.   

The expiration of this funding means that the project has had to be re-scoped to reflect the available funding. The Federal funding for this project was just one component of this project.    

The Council will still be delivering the footpath upgrade between Bridge Street and Eskbank Street, with the construction tender for this section released in  September 2024 and negotiated with a preferred contractor, with contracts signed in December 2024. 

This section has been selected based on the greater risk posed to pedestrians by uneven pavers in this part of main street to ensure that priority work is done in the interest of safety.  

The Council will advocate to the Federal Government to reinstate the funding for the continuation of the project from Eskbank Street to Cook Street and is also developing a grant application for other Australian Government funding streams.

A Project delivery oversight group has been established by Council to ensure comprehensive governance of all projects being delivered by Council, including projects funded by both state and federal Governments. Already this group is leading changes to Council’s project management processes. Continued reporting will also ensure that Councillors are informed directly on the delivery programs and risks with key projects.  

The Council has also increased the capacity of the infrastructure project management team to meet grant project delivery timeframes and commitments. 

Planning on the project commenced in 2016 with the adoption of the Lithgow CBD Revitalisation Action Plan, identifying Main Street from Bridge Street to Cook Street Plaza as the priority areas for action. 

Stage 1 of the project involved revitalisation of Cook Street Plaza and Main Street / Eskbank Street intersections, and was completed in 2019 

As part of Stage 1 works, a theme for finished materials was selected, being shot blast finished concrete with recycled brick banding and bluestone paving edge strip.  This theme was chosen to reflect the ties to Lithgow’s industrial heritage, whilst also being visually attractive, modern, and easily maintained. 

Draft designs for Stage 2 works were present to Councillors and the public in 2023, with formal and final design work commencing mid-year. 

Works were designed to ensure that the reconstructed footpath meets current accessibility legislation and standards.  This was very challenging due to the inconsistent and non-compliant existing levels, and required a number of attempts at redesign to ensure the final design had a streamlined flow and was safe and accessible 

The final design includes a number of inbuilt planter gardens on the southern (Mort Street) side with staged step access to prevent the need for a handrail at this location.  This has resulted in the accessible parking space being moved further west, toward the Eskbank Street intersection.  This allows for an on-road access ramp to be constructed for dual use by accessible vehicles as well as delivery vehicles, with the loading zone also being moved for easy footpath access. 

The level of the footpath on the northern (railway line) side were less challenging, but the theme of garden plantings will be continued for consistency.