Safety on the M5 is set for a major boost, with work under way on a $380 million upgrade to eliminate dangerous weaving and deliver a smoother, more reliable journey for thousands of motorists, especially those travelling to and from South Western Sydney.
The short stretch between Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway near Casula results in last-minute merging, lane switching and unpredictable delays on one of the metropolitan area’s most important highways.
Federal and state governments are footing the bill, each contributing $190 million towards the upgrade which is expected to be completed by 2029..
The project will separate westbound traffic from the M5 near Moorebank Avenue from traffic on Moorebank Avenue joining the M5.
This will remove a major conflict point between motorists entering and exiting the M5 and minimising impact to commuters, businesses, and the community during its construction.
The existing bridge over the Georges River that connects the M5 Motorway to the Hume Highway and Moorebank Avenue, carries more than 2,500 trucks a day from the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Precinct onto Sydney’s motorway network.
Traffic congestion worsens during the afternoon peak, as vehicles entering the motorway westbound at Moorebank Avenue merge with traffic exiting at the Hume Highway.
Truck volumes are also expected to grow as more sections of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Precinct come online.
This outcome has been achieved through the focussed efforts of Transport for NSW and Seymour White Pty Ltd, and Jacobs working closely together to refine the design to provide a safe and cost-effective enhancement to the M5.
The new design will see the M5 West turnoff moved immediately west of Moorebank Avenue to make navigation easier to follow and improve safety along the busy motorway.
Instead of fighting to merge across lanes in heavy traffic, drivers will have a clear, dedicated path – cutting down sudden braking, near-misses and the frustrating stop-starting traffic conditions that builds up in the afternoon peak.
The project includes a new 300m long, three lane bridge over the Georges River and the Southern Sydney Freight Line, T2 and T5 railway lines, improving the connections between the M5 Motorway, Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway.
The high risk weaving section between Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway will be removed.
The provision of extra lanes that will remove the need for around 2,600 vehicles per day to weave between lanes and other road users when navigating the entry and exit points at the Hume Highway and Moorebank Avenue.
Also part of the upgrade will be a new shared path for cyclists and pedestrians.
Major construction is already under way with Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd and Transport for NSW working closely to minimise impacts to the community, businesses and motorists.
During construction motorists will see some changes on the road, including reduced speed limits and occasional lane closures, with work carefully staged to keep traffic moving.
For more information about the project, go to nswroads.work/m5westbound