Project overview

Background

The M2 Motorway plays a key role in Sydney's Orbital network linking the north west region to the lower north shore and Sydney's CBD. It is a key road freight and commuter route and connects the major employment hubs of Macquarie Park and Norwest Business Park.

On a typical workday, the M2 is used by more than 100,000 vehicles and over 17,000 bus commuters.

Construction of the Westlink M7 and the Lane Cove Tunnel combined with strong commercial and residential growth in Sydney's north west has led to heavy congestion on the M2 during peak periods.

Project need

The NSW Government is working to deliver high quality, integrated and reliable transport services to continue economic development and competitiveness.

The M2 Upgrade is just one of many projects identified in the NSW Government's Metropolitan Strategy (reviewed March 2010) and the Metropolitan Transport Plan – Connecting the City of Cities (March 2010) to improve the efficiency of Sydney's transport network. These projects will contribute to achieving sustainable economic, social and environmental outcomes for Sydney into the future.

The proposed upgrade would significantly reduce congestion in peak periods, improve access to major growth areas along the motorway. It would support current planning for Sydney's north west which includes 140,000 new homes and 100,000 new jobs over the next 25 years.

Upgrade features

The proposed M2 Upgrade would widen the existing motorway along 14.5 kilometres of its length. The project would deliver four new ramps to improve motorway accessibility.

Features of the upgrade would include:

• New west facing Windsor Road on and off ramps.
• Additional eastbound lane from Windsor Road to Pennant Hills Road.
• Additional eastbound lane from Pennant Hills Road, through the Norfolk Tunnel, to Lane Cove Road.
• New Christie Road eastbound on ramp.
• New Herring Road westbound off ramp.
• Widened westbound lanes from Lane Cove Road to Beecroft Road.
• Additional westbound lane from Beecroft Road to Pennant Hills Road.