Mike Baird/Andrew Constance/Duncan Gay med rel: NSW Gov continues attack on congestion

NSW Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Mike Baird, Treasurer Andrew Constance and Minister for Roads Duncan Gay today announced 2014 -15 will be another congestion busting year, with $43 million provided in this year’s Budget to tackle more pinch points.

Inspecting work today on the $2.9 million project to widen and improve intersections on James Ruse Drive between Rosehill and Clyde, and joined by the Member for Parramatta MP Geoff Lee, Mr Baird said the NSW Government had completed more than 200 pinch point initiatives including 70 road infrastructure projects since 2011.

“The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is committed to easing congestion across Sydney by fixing critical pinch points and bottlenecks across the road network as part of a $246 million five year commitment,” Mr Baird said.

“This project is about getting Sydney moving by opening up this notorious bottleneck, which frustrates motorists trying to access the M4, Parramatta CBD and Rosehill Racecourse on a daily basis.

“This year’s funding continues our attack on congestion, with three major projects already underway in Western Sydney, nine being built this year and 20 more in development.

“We want to provide local businesses and communities with the infrastructure that will ease their daily commutes and help them prosper.”

Mr Constance said the $246 million pinch points program is just one of the NSW Government’s congestion busting programs, like the Clearways Strategy and the Motorcycle Response Team.

“The NSW Government will invest $708 million in road upgrades in Western Sydney this year and $1 billion over the next 10 years to support residential and employment growth in this thriving region,” said Mr Constance.

“This is in addition to the $3.5 billion joint commitment by the Federal and NSW governments towards major road infrastructure to support Sydney’s second airport at Badgerys Creek,” he said.

Mr Gay said the record investment in Western Sydney roads would provide greater capacity for the future.

“From Old Wallgrove Road to Camden Valley Way, these are major investments in the future of Western Sydney,” said Mr Gay.

“This government is ensuring that the detailed planning work and infrastructure investment in important projects such as WestConnex is made now to meet community needs both now and well into the future,” Mr Gay said.

In 2013-14, Roads and Maritime has delivered 10 intersection upgrades in Western Sydney under the program, including:

1) adding a lane to the southern approach of Elizabeth Drive to provide a separate left turn lane into North Liverpool Road at Heckenberg

2) extending the right turn bay from James Ruse Drive to Parramatta Road at Clyde

3) closure of Hope Street at the James Ruse Drive/Hope Street intersection at Rosehill

4) extending the right turn bay to Prospect Street at James Ruse Drive at Rosehill

5) extending the right turn bay on Roberts Road into Norfolk Road at Greenacre

6) Concord Road and Homebush Bay Drive, Rhodes

7) Woodville Road and Merrylands Road, Merrylands

8) Woodville Road and Oxford Street, Merrylands

9) Parramatta Road and Good Street, Granville

10) Hume Highway and Chapel Road, Bankstown.