New South Wales’ $2 billion M12 Motorway project has reached a major construction milestone as the State Government announces a record investment on vital arterial roads across Western Sydney.
Infrastructure Australia recommended the toll-free M12 Motorway as a high priority project, and it forms part of the wider Western Sydney roads upgrade.
More than a third of construction is already completed on the M12 and groundwork on 14 of the 17 bridges across the project is already underway.
“The 2023-24 NSW Budget has delivered on our commitments to Western Sydney.
“We are working on building and upgrading the roads now before the next phase of growth in this area and ahead of the first flights touching down at Western Sydney Airport.
“The M12 is an important part of the infrastructure strategy to ensure Western Sydney International has effective transport links from day one, so progress on bridge building is a very positive project milestone.
“This project is creating more jobs in Western Sydney for workers in Western Sydney west and will help drive economic opportunities across this region,” NSW Minister for Roads John Graham said.
The M12 Motorway project is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales Governments and it will deliver a new link between the upcoming Western Sydney International Airport at Badgerys Creek and the wider Sydney motorway network as well as Elizabeth Drive and the Northern Road while opening up a key future jobs zone for Sydney.
The next stage of works on the M12 will focus on completing the majority of earthworks along with the pouring of 52,000 tonnes of concrete.
The M12 Motorway project includes:
About 2,000 locals from Liverpool and Penrith as well as 526 young people under 25 are employed to deliver the M12 Motorway project. Many of these workers will also have the opportunity to continue working in the area as upgrades including Elizabeth Drive get underway.
The recent State Budget is prioritising new spending on vital arterial roads across Western Sydney, with a wider focus on major infrastructure projects and toll roads of the previous government.
The Minns Labor Government has committed $29.1 billion in infrastructure, to be spent over the next four years.
The State Government is investing about $2.4 billion in Western Sydney as part of the Connecting Sydney Roads program to accommodate population and employment growth in the region. Approximately $430 million has been earmarked to be spent in 2023-24 alone.
The projects funded across Western Sydney will help ease congestion as well as improve travel times to and from work or the school run by fixing our local roads.
“Western Sydney is our city’s population basket with over 2.5 million people living here.
“It’s critical that we have the investment in our roads to improve access, liveability for our community in Penrith.
“The works on the Northern Road and Elizabeth Drive will improve access for motorists and public transport users alike in our community,” Member for Penrith Karen McKeown said.
Below is a list of Metropolitan Roads projects by area covered by the Budget:
Western Sydney Airport precinct
South-West Sydney
Western Sydney (Penrith and surrounds)
North-West Sydney
“The NSW Government has committed to delivering for Western Sydney with the infrastructure investment in the 2023-24 NSW Budget.
“By committing to upgrade Elizabeth Drive, Spring Farm Parkway and Fifteenth Avenue, the NSW Government is going to deliver a real benefit to the community in Leppington that will improve travel time and allow people to get to work, school and through the day in a much more efficient manner,” Member for Leppington Nathan Hagarty said.
Source: NSW Government – Media Releases; Transport for NSW; NSW Government – M12 Motorway Web Portal