NorthConnex motorway construction begins

Construction of the $3 billion NorthConnex motorway in Sydney begins in February.

The NorthConnex motorway consists of twin 9km tunnels that link the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wahroonga to the M2 Motorway at the Pennant Hills Road interchange at West Pennant Hills.

Federal Assistant Infrastructure Minister Jamie Briggs said NorthConnex was a vital infrastructure project that would support jobs, the NSW economy and form part of the National Highway route.

“NorthConnex will provide wide ranging benefits for the community including improvements to local air quality and road safety, with around 5000 fewer heavy vehicles on Pennant Hills Road each day.

NorthConnex will also:

• Save up to 15 minutes of travel time compared to using Pennant Hills Road, where there are around 360 incidents each year impacting traffic.
• Help to bypass 21 sets of traffic lights and provide an alternative route to the Pacific Highway, which has 40 sets of traffic lights.

Approval for construction to begin follows a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement and extensive community consultation.

NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay said the planning approval included new safeguards not seen on any project in the state’s history including the Lane Cove Tunnel.

“The conditions of approval include a visibility standard which has never existed in NSW before,” Gay said.

“NorthConnex will operate in line with world’s best standards and can be reassessed by the Department of Planning every 5 years.”

“Every resident who lives around NorthConnex and every motorist in NSW can be reassured, there will be unprecedented safeguards in place once it opens to traffic.”

Source: News Release, NSW Government, 16 January, 2014

http://www.nsw.gov.au/news/northconnex-motorway-construction-begins