Australian Govt invests $25m to bust congestion on Toongabbie Bridge

The Australian Government is investing $25 million to upgrade Wentworth Avenue and help reduce congestion on Toongabbie Bridge in New South Wales as part of its initiative to build Australia’s future. 

Toongabbie Bridge is a critical link for residents of Western Sydney and it impacts traffic flow between Parramatta and Seven Hills as well as access to Westmead Hospital. 

The bridge is also one of the few connections across the rail line and is the only local crossing linking to the major arterials such as Seven Hills Road, Prospect Highway and the Cumberland and Great Western highways. 

“This bridge has been a nightmare for forty years. Everyone said they were going to fix it – today we’re doing it. I went into bat with our community for Toongabbie; to get this fixed once and for all and Minister King backed us because this government builds and delivers. 

“This investment will cut congestion, slash travel times, and make life easier for local residents who rely on this connection every day,” Federal Member for Parramatta Andrew Charlton said. 

“I’m pleased I can work with Andrew Charlton to get this done. Andrew has delivered $25 million to get the bridge upgrade finished and done,” State Member for Prospect Hugh McDermott MP said. 

“I am delighted the bridge is finally getting done. This is an excellent commitment that will help the community,” Parramatta Councillor Sameer Pandey said. 

The existing bridge is already more than 70 years old and has a single lane in each direction, making it a known pinch-point that experiences severe congestion, especially during peak periods. 

The new investment will focus on easing congestion on Toongabbie Bridge by increasing and improving traffic flow along Wentworth Avenue. 

Works under this project will include intersection upgrades and lane widening, which will support increased productivity and improved liveability for residents and motorists of Toongabbie and its surrounding areas. 

“This funding will place Council in a strong position to take the design work from concept to reality. 

“The Cumberland community has been voicing concerns over the traffic congestion in this area for many years so this funding will be welcome news to so many who have borne the inconvenience of this bottleneck for so long. 

“Council is appreciative of the Federal Government’s allocation of this money to build the much-needed infrastructure for our community, and we look forward to seeing the project come to life, complementing our planned public domain upgrades to the Toongabbie town centre,” Cumberland City Council Mayor Ola Hamed said. 

Increased pressure on the local transport network surrounding Toongabbie is expected due to the projected population and economic growth within Cumberland, Blacktown and Parramatta Local Government Areas. 

Recent planning and analysis of traffic around Toongabbie Bridge showed that notwithstanding the constraining nature of the bridge itself, significant congestion was also due to intersections on Wentworth Avenue on either side of the bridge. 

Final project scope as well as delivery timeframes will be determined in consultation with the New South Wales Government, Cumberland City Council, Parramatta City Council and Blacktown Council. 

This project builds on the Australian Government’s existing investment of $18 billion for infrastructure projects in Western Sydney. 

“We’re building Australia’s future right here in Western Sydney, currently investing $18 billion into Western Sydney’s infrastructure. 

“We know how important the Toongabbie fix is to the community ere and the knock-on effect it has on the Western Sydney road network. 

“We’re giving hours back to Toongabbie locals, Westmead workers and everyone in between with this record investment in Toongabbie Bridge,” Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said. 

Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; Roads & Infrastructure Australia; Inside Local Government