The WestConnex tollway is one step closer with tunnelling on the new M4 reaching the milestone halfway mark.
WestConnex Minister Stuart Ayres said 22 roadheaders were working around the clock to deliver new twin tunnels, with more than five kilometres of earth carved out.
“We are on track to deliver this first tunnel section of WestConnex in 2019, which will bring congestion relief to the thousands of motorists stuck in traffic each day when the M4 ends at Parramatta Road, Concord.”
“Once WestConnex is complete you will be able to travel from Penrith to the Anzac Bridge without passing through a single set of traffic lights,” Mr Ayres said.
Once tunnelling is completed later this year, the next significant phase of work – the tunnel fit out – will get underway. The M4 west of Parramatta will remain free to use, while the new M4 from Parramatta to Anzac Bridge will feature a distance based toll.
“Labor has been playing politics on this, motorists will pay 45 cents (2017) per km on the entire WestConnex motorway,” Mr Ayres said.
“Labor is happy to force western Sydney motorists to pay close to $22 one way to travel on the M7/M2/Lane Cove Tunnel/Harbour Bridge to the city but refuse to support finishing a new M4,” Mr Ayres said.
“The opposition had 16 years to finish the M4 and instead completely ignored the West. They still don’t want to build it - they haven't learned a thing.”
Spoil is being excavated from the tunnels and surface sites at the rate of around 140,000 tonnes per week, with tunnelling progressing at an average rate of around 20-30 plus metres per roadheader, per week.