Ever found yourself in static traffic on the way to Sydney Airport, sweating on whether or not you'll make your flight? In good news for people in a certain part of Sydney, a brand-new toll-free road connecting St Peters Interchange to the International and Domestic Terminals of Sydney Airport is opening soon – here’s everything you need to know about the new addition to Sydney’s road network.
Named Sydney Gateway, this $2.6 billion project is set to transform the way Sydneysiders travel to and from the Airport – providing up to 100,000 vehicles every day with a toll-free connection between Sydney Airport and the WestConnex M8 tunnels at St Peters Interchange.
The project has been gradually opening in stages since November 2023, with the new Deborah Lawrie Flyover into the airport’s Domestic Terminals, plus two stunning Twin Arch Bridges close to the International Terminal and a new and improved Airport Drive already open to motorists. Now, the final stage is approaching completion – with Transport for NSW confirming that the project is now more than 90 per cent complete, and hinting at a late-August opening date.
As well as providing a more efficient route to the airport, Sydney Gateway will provide relief for nearby communities by diverting traffic that has previously travelled through local streets in Mascot. According to Transport for NSW, the new roads will provide an alternative route for around 10,000 big and noisy trucks a day.
Bonus: This stretch of road will feature more than three kilometres of new pedestrian and cycle paths along Alexandra Canal, and the team behind the project is working with Indigenous artists to bring large-scale public artworks to life along the route.
Although the new road is set to ease driving conditions in the long run, Transport for NSW has stated that “there are always impacts when opening large infrastructure as drivers get used to new conditions”, with kerb-side management measures and 'A Joint Operations Centre' set to be introduced to manage what is predicted to be “a period of disruption”.
An official opening date is set to be announced once the current round of testing and integration is complete. You can learn more about the Sydney Gateway project over here.
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