Central Coast businesses are playing a key role in the delivery of the $3 billion NorthConnex project, as work continues on the M1-M2 ‘missing link’ that will allow motorists to travel from Newcastle to Melbourne without any traffic lights.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the nine-kilometre tunnel remains on track to open in the third quarter of 2020.
“More than 1,500 Central Coast workers and 50 local businesses have been involved in building NorthConnex,” Mr Crouch said.
“Not only will this ‘missing link’ provide 15 minute travel time savings for Central Coast commuters, it has also provided employment opportunities for a massive number of local residents .
“NorthConnex is expected to create a total of 8,700 jobs for NSW and support local industry through a $10 million Training Hub.”
Federal Member for Robertson Lucy Wicks said NorthConnex will deliver reduced travel times of up to 15 minutes for the more than 30,000 people commuting from the Central Coast.
“Central Coast motorists will benefit from avoiding 21 sets of traffic lights along Pennant Hills Road or 40 traffic lights on a trip along the Pacific Highway into the Sydney CBD,” Ms Wicks said.
“By removing up to 5,000 trucks a day from Pennant Hills Road, the project will also reduce congestion and noise, returning streets to local communities and improving safety for motorists.
“NorthConnex will deliver a straighter and flatter route for increased fuel efficiency and reduced wear and tear. This will also include 3.5 metre wide lanes and a breakdown lane with 24 hour monitoring.”
The Australian and NSW Governments are delivering NorthConnex in partnership with Transurban.
NorthConnex fast facts
– NorthConnex is the missing link in the national highway route, connecting the M1 Motorway in Wahroonga to the Hills M2 Motorway with a nine-kilometre tunnel bypassing 21 sets of traffic lights
– NorthConnex will remove around 5,000 trucks off Pennant Hills Road per day
– As a two lane tunnel with additional breakdown lane, NorthConnex would have the capacity to carry more than 100,000 vehicles per day
– A 5.1 metre tunnel height clearance will help avoid over height incidents
– To safeguard the tunnel for future increases in traffic, NorthConnex will be built wide enough for three lanes but will initially operate with two lanes and a breakdown lane in each direction
