Skip to main content

Another tunnel for Australia’s WestConnex toll road project?

The size of Australia’s largest infrastructure project could get bigger with the addition of another tunnel, according to media reports. The New South Wales state government is considering another tunnel, around 1km long, in the inner west, expanding the size of Sydney's WestConnex toll road project, according to the Sydney Motorway Corporation, which along with its state government client, Roads and Maritime Services, is in charge or the US$12.74 billion project. Sydney Motorway was set up in 2014 an
July 21, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The size of Australia’s largest infrastructure project could get bigger with the addition of another tunnel, according to media reports.

The New South Wales state government is considering another tunnel, around 1km long, in the inner west, expanding the size of Sydney's WestConnex toll road project, according to the Sydney Motorway Corporation, which along with its state government client, Roads and Maritime Services, is in charge or the US$12.74 billion project.

Sydney Motorway was set up in 2014 and awarded the design-build-own-operate contract by the NSW Government. The latest tunnel would run from Iron Cove Bridge to an interchange at Rozelle, where it would link to the WestConnex motorway.

Roads minister Duncan Gay said that no decision has yet been taken on the final design of the link between the M4 and M5 motorways, "but we are always looking for the best options to fix traffic congestion in Sydney".

It is also unclear if the cost of the new tunnel will come from the WestConnex budget, the Herald reported.

About 200 properties are being acquired for the first stage of WestConnex, and 159 for the second.

Sydney Motorway announced in January that it had award 2376 Egis Projects and 6191 Fulton Hogan Construction a contract for the operation and maintenance of WestConnex.
 
SMC – whose shareholders are Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight and the Treasurer of NSW – is carrying out work in three stages. The first is for the widening the existing M4 Motorway as well as constructing a 5.5km tunnel extension. The second stage (WestConnex M5) includes building a new 9km road tunnel, which will more than double capacity of the existing M5 East motorway corridor and provide a new interchange, north of the city’s airport. The third stage (WestConnex M4-M5 Link) will link stages 1 and 2 through a new road tunnel, connecting the M4 and M5 corridors.

The contract term for stages 1 and 2 is 10 years. Operation and maintenance will start in 2019. In addition, the contract comprises the operation and maintenance of the existing M5 East Motorway, which had been previously operated and maintained by Egis (as part of the BHEgis joint venture) from 2001 to 2011. M5 East is a 10km motorway with 4.5km of tunnels.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Queensland Australia road projects proposed
    November 9, 2017
    Road projects are being proposed for the Australian state of Queensland, with upgrades to the M1 route taking precedence. One proposed project will be for the widening of the M1 between Tugun and Varsity Lakes; work expected to cost US$164 million (A$206 million). Improvements to the section of the M1 between Logan Motorway and Eight Mile Plains should cost $12.74 million (A$16 million). In addition an upgrade to the Oxenford Exit 57 interchange is expected to cost $19.9 million (A$25 million). The work
  • AAPA endorses fatigue endurance limits AUSTROADS guidelines
    May 18, 2015
    The Australian Asphalt Pavement Association (AAPA) has endorsed the new concept of a fatigue endurance limit to determine the full depth asphalt pavement thickness in a freeway environment. The endorsement came from the first meeting of the AAPA’s recently appointed National Leadership and Technology Committee (NTLC) made up of senior managers in the pavement and surface technology sector. The NTLC endorsed the industry-prepared draft design guide addendum for Perpetual Pavements from AUSTROADS. AUSTR
  • Australia’s costly A$26 billion East Link Project
    February 5, 2025
    Australia’s East Link Project in Victoria will now cost as much as A$26 billion.
  • Australian road developments in Queensland and NSW
    January 19, 2023
    Key Australian road developments are planned in Queensland and NSW.