Australia breaks ground on road upgrade for Western Sydney airport

The Australian Government has broken ground on the first major road upgrade for the new Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek.

Stage one of the $509m Bringelly Road upgrade is currently underway and the project is said to be the first upgrade in a $3.6bn package to provide essential road infrastructure.

The upgrade is set to create more than 400 jobs, while approximately 4,000 additional jobs will be generated by the time the airport opens. It will also reduce congestion and improve safety for all road users.

The Commonwealth and New South Wales governments have made the investment, which will help businesses within the South West Growth Centre to capitalise on the economic gains from developing a new Western Sydney Airport.

As part of the upgrade, Bringelly Road will be widened to two lanes in each direction for 5.7km with three lanes between the Upper Canal and Eastwood Road.

Building tenders will soon be announced for the 4.3km section from King Street to the Northern Road.

Planning is also underway for the 31km, $1.6bn upgrade of the Northern Road and the 14km, $1.3bn four-lane motorway between the M7 motorway and the Northern Road.

The projects ensure that vital road infrastructure is in place ahead of the airport’s opening.

The government will invite tenders to build the first projects as part of the $200m Local Roads Package, which aims to improve the performance of the local road network around the future airport site.

Local road improvements funded so far include $17.5m to Campbelltown City Council to upgrade Eagle Vale Drive, $5.8m to Fairfield City Council to upgrade intersections on the Cumberland Highway.

The upgrades also include $5.7m to Fairfield City Council to upgrade Wetherill Street and $2.3m to Camden Council to develop and renovate the Argyle St/Camden Valley Way Corridor.

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Image: Badgerys Creek Road and Parkland, the site of the proposed Western Sydney Airport. Photo: courtesy of Advanstra.