Westlink M7 to open before Christmas

Westlink M7 has advised the NSW Government that the new 40 km motorway through western Sydney will open to traffic before Christmas, eight months ahead of schedule.

The exact date would be determined by weather and the speed of final construction work during November.

The $1.5bn road will link with the M2 at Baulkham Hills in Sydney's north, the M4 at Eastern Creek to the west of the city and the M5 at Prestons to the south west. It will bypass 48 sets of traffic lights.

“This will make western Sydney an even more attractive place for business to invest and create

thousands of jobs in what is already Australia's third largest regional economy,” Mr Tripodi said.

“It will change the way people and freight travel through Sydney's western suburbs.”

Mr Tripodi said that

On opening day, it will be the first time Sydney has added 40 km of motorway to its road

system in one day.

The Greater Western Sydney Economic Development Board estimates Westlink M7 will

generate 24,000 jobs and $3bn in economic development in the region in the next three years.

It is already a magnet for major companies like Woolworths, Coles, Coca Cola, TNT, Blue Scope Steel and LG Electronics which are relocating to business and industrial parks nearby.

A bonus for cyclists and pedetrians will be the Westlink cycleway and walking path which will provide a dedicated route for cyclists and pedestrians for almost 40 km from Prestons to Baulkham Hills.

A 5km charity walk will be held at the Light Horse Interchange to celebrate the Westlink M7 on

Sunday November 27 with a gold coin donation to go to the Westmead Hospital's Millennium

Foundation and the Westmead Children's Hospital.

Westlink M7 will be a fully electronic toll road that uses a distance-based tolling system. The Federal Government provided $356m towards construction with the balance funded by Westlink Motorway Limited: Abigroup Contractors (10%); Leighton Holdings and Contractors (10%); Macquarie Infrastructure Group (40%) and Transurban (40%).

Westlink M7 entered into a contract with the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) in early 2003 to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the motorway.

Westlink M7 has been designed and constructed by an Abigroup Leighton Joint Venture.