Infrastructure Australia has added the second stage of the Bringelly Road upgrade in Western Sydney to the Infrastructure Priority List as a priority project.
The upgrade follows on from the stage one Bringelly Road upgrade, between Camden Valley Way and King Street, which was considered by the Infrastructure Australia Board in May 2015 and is now under construction.
Infrastructure Australia Chief Executive, Philip Davies, said stage two of the Bringelly Road upgrade is part of a $3.6 billion program of road works aiming to support major growth areas planned for Western Sydney, including the Western Sydney Airport.
“With the first stage of the Bringelly Road upgrade already under construction, stage two involves widening the remaining 4.3km of two-lane rural road between King Street and the Northern Road to a four-lane divided carriageway with a wide central median,” Mr Davies said.
“Development initiatives such as the Western Sydney Priority Growth Area and South West Priority Land Release Areas, together with the Western Sydney Airport, will drive significant population and employment growth in the region.
“Over the next 30 years the south-west region’s population will increase by 300,000 people, with some 57,000 new jobs expected to be created.”
Mr Davies said the upgrade will lead to a marked increase in traffic volumes on major access routes in the region, with average daily traffic on Bringelly Road expected to increase from under 6,000 vehicles per day currently to around 24,000 vehicles per day, which is growth of over 300 per cent.
“Along with a wider program of works that includes upgrades to the Northern Road and development of the M12 connecting the Northern Road with the M7, this project will ensure the region’s road network can adequately meet this increase in traffic demand, and support economic growth in Western Sydney. It will also deliver improved safety outcomes for road users,” Mr Davies said.
“The next task will be to increase investment in public transport to realise this economic growth and provide greater access between the south-west and major commercial centres such as Liverpool and Campbelltown.”
The project is expected to cost $156.5 million with construction to commence in 2016–17 and to conclude by 2019–20.
The Infrastructure Priority List identifies nationally significant projects and initiatives in every state and territory, and is regularly updated as the Infrastructure Australia Board receives and assesses new business cases from project proponents.
