Planning underway to improve seven key roads in Sydney's south west

Under a $65 million planning initiative jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales Governments, seven major road corridors in Sydney’s south-west have been identified for future upgrades. 

The expanded South West Sydney Roads – Planning Project aims to ease traffic congestion as well as improve road safety and support ongoing housing and job growth in the Greater Macarthur and South West regions. 

“The Albanese Government is investing over $19 billion in Western Sydney, on a new airport, and roads and rail to keep people moving. 

“This investment in future planning for Sydney’s road network keeps our infrastructure pipeline moving, developing future opportunities to keep locals working on sites close to home on projects that will keep Western Sydney moving,” Federal Minister for Infrasructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said. 

Together, the seven priority corridors make up about 76.5 kilometres of roads that carry more than 100,000 vehicles a day. 

Business cases and planning investigations are now being prepared for these corridors, which will provide a road map of staged delivery of improvements such as widening key routes, adding new entry and exit points, new intersections and town centre bypasses. 

This initiative focuses on reducing congestion, improving safety and supporting ongoing housing and job growth as the South West and Greater Macarthur communities grow. 

The seven routes are vital links between residential communities, employment hubs and freight routes. It is essential to plan for the infrastructure the region needs now, and to plan for the next round of major road infrastructure projects. 

“This planning work is about making sure the road network keeps pace with the needs of communities across south west Sydney, both now and well into the future. 

“We’re working closely with the NSW Government to ensure strategic transport corridors are planned properly so they can support the region’s growth and help keep people and freight moving efficiently. 

“Sydney’s south west is changing fast – expanding communities, new industries and a new airport are reshaping the region, and our planning needs to reflect that. This work ensures we’re preparing the road network for the future, not just reacting to growth once it arrives. 

“With the Western Sydney Airport and bradfield City on the horizon, we’re taking a coordinated approach to planning the infrastructure that will support how people live, move and work in this growing part of Sydney,” NSW Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison said. 

Planning for jointly funded upgrades have been identified for four key corridors, including: 

• Hume Motorway – Narellan Road to Picton Road: A strategic options plan and access strategy will examine improvements to entry and exit points and traffic flow along this critical freight route, which carries more than 52,000 vehicles daily. 

• Cowpasture Road – M7 Motorway to Camden Valley Way: Widening from four to six lanes is proposed to support housing development around Bradfield City and the Western Sydney Airport precinct. The corridor currently sees more than 41,000 vehicles each day. 

• Camden Valley Way – M5 Motorway to Narellan Road: Also set for widening from four to six lanes, this route services suburbs that have grown significantly in recent years, adding over 20,000 residents and 5,000 jobs. 

• Menangle Road – Tindall Street, Campbelltown to Cummins Road, Menangle Park: Widening is planned to boost capacity along what is seen as an increasingly important local corridor. 

“Campbelltown is growing rapidly, and the upgrade of Menangle Road and Campbelltown Road is critical to keeping our city moving. Planning now means safer, faster and more reliable travel for years to come,” State Member for Campbelltown Greg Warren said. 

“Camden is one of the fastest-growing areas in the state, and our roads need to keep up. Planning for upgrades to Camden Valley Way and Cowpasture Road will help ease congestion and support new housing, jobs and services,” State Member for Camden Sally Quinnell said. 

“Leppington is at the heart of Sydney’s future growth, and our roads must be ready to support that. Widening key corridors like Cowpasture Road and Camden Valley Way will ensure smoother connections to the new airport and Bradfield City,” Member for Leppington Nathan Hagarty said. 

Three more corridors will now be investigated, and plans will be developed as part of the $65 million program. The corridors are: 

• Campbelltown Road – between the Hume Highway and Brooks Road: Proposed to expand from two to four lanes to improve safety and reduce congestion for the 34,000 vehicles using it daily. 

• Appin town centre bypass: To divert traffic away from the historic village and prepare for future demand. 

• Jersey Road – from Oran Park to Bradfield: Subject to a planning study to support better public transport connections and road access between two of the region’s fastest-growing centres. Oran Park is forecast to create more than 2,500 jobs by 2026. 

“More than 34,000 people use Campbelltown Road every day, and it’s frequently at capacity during peak hour. 

“Getting the planning underway now means we’re a step closer to widening this key road that my community use every day,” Federal Member for Hughes David Moncrieff said. 

“Macquarie Fields families rely on Campbelltown Road every single day. Expanding this corridor will improve safety and cut travel times across the region. It’s great to see early planning to make sure we’re ready for the growth ahead,” Member for Macquarie Fields Anoulack Chanthivong said. 

“Liverpool sits at the crossroads of some of Sydney’s most important transport links. With more people move here and major projects like the airport underway, planning these road upgrades ensures our city stays accessible and liveable,” State Member for Liverpool Charishma Kaliyanda said. 

The consolidated program of planning for South West Sydney roads builds on a broader pipeline of committed infrastructure investments across Western Sydney, including: 

• More than $2 billion for the toll-free M12 Motorway linking the M7 Motorway to the new Western Sydney Airport 

• $1 billion (Australian and NSW Government funding) to upgrade Fifteenth Avenue, including a six-kilometre section between Cowpasture and Devonshire roads 

• $380 million (Australian and NSW Government funding) to upgrade the M5 westbound between Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway 

• $800 million for the upgrade of the priority section of Elizabeth Drive upgrade to improve safety and reduce congestion 

“As our community grows, it’s vital we keep planning for the future. I’m pleased to be working with the Albanese and Minns Governments on planning for future road upgrades on the busy Hume Highway and Menangle Road. 

“I welcome the start of planning for an Appin Town Centre Bypass, which will move growing traffic levels out of the historic village centre,” Federal Member for Macarthur Mike Freelander said. 

“The Albanese and Minns Governments have made unprecedented investments in South West Sydney, with new roads and infrastructure to get people to and from the new airport. 

“These upgrades will build more capacity into our road network,” Federal Member for Werriwa Anne Stanley said. 

Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; NSW Government – Media Releases; Transport for NSW