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

  • Construction of the Gordie Howe Bridge could start in mid-2018
    May 12, 2017
    Construction of the US$2.1 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge is expected to start in late 2018, according to the authority in charge of the project. Preliminary early works on bridge – the second to span the Detroit River ? between Detroit, Michigan in the US and Windsor, in the Canadian province of Ontario have started. A main contractor is likely to be appointed by mid next year. The first phase of early works has focused on fill placement, construction of a perimeter access road and minor utility
  • Construction of the Gordie Howe Bridge could start in mid-2018
    May 12, 2017
    Construction of the US$2.1 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge is expected to start in late 2018, according to the authority in charge of the project. Preliminary early works on bridge – the second to span the Detroit River ? between Detroit, Michigan in the US and Windsor, in the Canadian province of Ontario have started. A main contractor is likely to be appointed by mid next year. The first phase of early works has focused on fill placement, construction of a perimeter access road and minor utility
  • Golden opportunities in the MINT - Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey
    May 21, 2015
    Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey – Global Report offers up some food for thought about where smart money might be headed within the next several years – David Arminas writes China’s rate of growth may be slowing down, but other South East Asian companies are being quick to offer alternate investment opportunities, notably Indonesia. Nigeria, too, has had issues with security of investment. But there are signs that the government may be getting serious at last about tightening up rules and regulation
  • Australia roads alliance
    April 16, 2012
    A huge infrastructure programme is being planned at present for the Australian state of Queensland With an annual growth rate of around 3.2%, Queensland is the fastest growing state in Australia and has been for over a decade. The State attracts an average of 1,500 new permanent residents each week, 1,000 of whom move to the South East corner.