[dropcap]M[/dropcap]otorists, pedestrians and cyclists in the Macarthur region are set to enjoy smoother, safer and faster journeys following the completion of works on the first section of The Northern Road Upgrade.
Paul Fletcher, the federal urban infrastructure minister, Melinda Pavey, the NSW roads minister, and Chris Patterson, the member for Camden, today officially opened the 3.3-kilometre section of The Northern Road between The Old Northern Road at Narellan and Peter Brock Drive at Oran Park.
“This major project is part of our plan to improve access to Western Sydney as the region’s population grows by an expected one million people by 2031,” Mr Fletcher said.
Once complete, the entire 35-kilometre $1.6 billion Northern Road upgrade between Narellan and South Penrith will provide a high quality connection to the new M12 Motorway which will be the front door to Western Sydney Airport when it opens in eight years.
Mrs Pavey said with more than 15,000 motorists using the road every day, it was essential to invest in the infrastructure needed to support ongoing growth in Sydney’s west and south-west.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“This upgrade will support integrated transport in the region, delivering safer roads which will reduce travel times for Sydney’s west and south-west,” Mrs Pavey said.[/social_quote]
Local businesses are capitalising on these major roadworks under way in Western Sydney, with a total of $174 million worth of contracts awarded within the local community.
“The residents of the Camden area have welcomed the new infrastructure giving them safer roads to travel on,” Mr Patterson said.
The 3.3-kilometre section of The Northern Road from Narellan to Oran Park includes three traffic light intersection upgrades, two new bridges over Narellan Creek and a three-metre-wide off-road shared path for cyclists and pedestrians.
The Australian and NSW governments are investing $3.6 billion in the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan, providing essential road improvements for one of Australia’s fastest growing regions.
