Motorists will benefit from 15 minute travel time savings and journeys from Newcastle to Melbourne without any traffic lights, with NorthConnex set to open in a few months’ time.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the twin tunnels would make journeys faster, easier, safer and more reliable.
“Transurban is delivering this project and their most recent advice is that NorthConnex will be ready in the third quarter of 2020,” Mr Crouch said.
“Until then, work on Australia’s longest and deepest road tunnels is continuing to provide jobs and significant economic benefits at this difficult time.
“Once completed, NorthConnex can be used by the thousands of Central Coast commuters as an alternative route to the CBD that avoids 40 traffic lights on the Pacific Highway.
Member of the Legislative Council Taylor Martin said NorthConnex was one of four major road projects to transform travel for people in the Central Coast and Hunter regions.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic more than 70,000 light and heavy vehicles travelled between the Hunter, Central Coast and Sydney each day,” Mr Martin said.
“Already we have seen the northern tip of the M1 Pacific Motorway upgraded at the Weakleys Drive and John Renshaw Drive intersection, as well as an expansion between Kariong and Somersby. The 12 kilometre stretch between Tuggerah and Doyalson is also close to completion.
“These upgrades will benefit commuters, holiday traffic and heavy vehicles by improving traffic flow and making trip times more reliable.”
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
- NorthConnex is expected to create 8,700 jobs for NSW over its lifetime and continues to support local industry through the $10 million NorthConnex Training Hub
- NorthConnex will also boost the economy by providing more reliable journeys and shorter travel times for the movement of freight