A notorious bottleneck on Sydney’s M5 Motorway is set for a major upgrade, with a $380 million contract awarded to Seymour Whyte to untangle one of Western Sydney’s most congested freight and commuter interchanges.
The project will deliver a new toll-free, three-lane bridge over the Georges River and rail lines at Liverpool, designed to streamline traffic between the M5, Moorebank Avenue, and the Hume Highway.
The upgrade targets the heavily trafficked zone near the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Precinct, where more than 2,500 trucks per day currently funnel into the motorway network.
Key components include removal of the westbound weave between Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway, as well as the construction of a new westbound underpass at Moorebank Avenue.
The project also includes upgrades to the M5–Moorebank Avenue interchange.
These changes aim to improve safety, reduce peak-hour congestion, and accommodate rising truck volumes as the intermodal precinct expands.
Afternoon congestion is particularly acute, with vehicles attempting to merge westbound from Moorebank Avenue clashing with traffic exiting to the Hume Highway. Transport for NSW data cited in the contract brief anticipates an additional 3,900 vehicles per day could avoid lane-weaving manoeuvres once the upgrade is completed.
“The contract is signed, the builders are ready, and soon we’ll be improving connections across our region,” said NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said.
“The extra lanes will remove the need for around 3,900 vehicles per day to weave between lanes, making journeys safer and faster for families and freight operators alike.”
The Albanese and Minns governments are co-funding the project, contributing $190 million each under a broader $19 billion infrastructure push across Western Sydney.
“This upgrade will ensure the conga-line of trucks coming in and out of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Precinct can flow more freely, keeping goods moving to their destinations, while delivering real benefits for commuters during peak periods,” said Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King.
