The first major piece of infrastructure at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport is complete with Badgerys Creek Road ready for traffic.
The milestone follows the successful realignment of 1.6 kilometers of road and construction of a new bridge measuring nearly the same width as Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Badgerys Creek Road was realigned to allow for the new M12 Motorway and Sydney Metro Greater West, which will connect to the Airport site. Badgerys Creek Road will be an entry point to the Airport when it opens in 2026.
Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said realigning the road was a significant technical achievement.
“It’s an important and essential part of the early earthworks in the Airport’s seven-year construction,” Minister Tudge said.
“It also signals that early earthworks are nearly complete and Western Sydney International will soon move into the next phase of construction.”
Liberal Senator for Western Sydney, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, said the project was part of a broader overhaul of road infrastructure across Western Sydney.
“The Badgerys Creek Road project, which included the provision of a new bridge, a shared footpath and new intersection at Elizabeth Drive, is a lynchpin around which other key projects, such as the Northern Road upgrade, revolve,” Senator Payne said.
“Its completion is a critical step forward in preparing the region’s road network for Western Sydney International, in addition to providing a better experience for local commuters.”
Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said the new bridge is supported by 21 girders weighing in at 45 tonnes each, made with 900 tonnes of concrete. For the road, 20,000 tonnes of asphalt was laid and 116 streetlights were installed.
“The momentum around the airport is building and now with the completion of Badgery’s Creek Road we will start to see the creation of more jobs and both national and international investment in the area,” Mr Taylor said.
Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh, said that 2019 had been a busy year for the airport and Badgerys Creek Road was a major milestone in the airport’s ongoing construction.
“Construction of the bridge and road realignment highlights the massive scale of the airport construction, and with major earthworks the multitude of opportunities from this significant infrastructure project will only increase,” Mrs McIntosh said.
“Investing in road and rail infrastructure means we are easing congestion on our local roads and building the infrastructure to create more local jobs and investment and it’s exciting that the airport is already delivering outcomes for the people of Western Sydney.”
The major earthworks phase will involve moving over 23 million cubic metres of earth, making way for the construction of the airport terminal and runway.
Motorists should check for temporary closures and detours as the works are finalised.
Western Sydney International is being delivered through a $5.3 billion Australian Government investment and is on track to open in 2026.
