New 9km M8 tunnels to shave 30 minutes off major commute
Final tests are being carried out on the new nine-kilometre M8 twin tunnels from Beverly Hills to St Peters that’s due to open tonight.
NSW
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A tunnel set to shave 30 minutes off the commute from the city’s southwest to inner Sydney will open tonight.
Final tests were being carried out on the new nine-kilometre M8 twin tunnels from Beverly Hills to St Peters on Saturday afternoon, which was due to open between 10.30pm and 3am tomorrow.
Travel time on the M8 from Beverly Hills to St Peters is expected to be less than 10 minutes.
The new M8 tunnel runs alongside the choked M5 East, which links the CBD, Sydney Airport, Port Botany and city’s southwestern suburbs.
The new M8 tunnel will cost motorists up to $6.95 in tolls, and a new toll will also be applied to the existing M5 East between King Georges Road and General Holmes Drive.
More than 100,000 motorists travel in the M5 East tunnels everyday, making them some of the most congested roads in Sydney.
“We’re doubling capacity for anybody travelling from the southwest of Sydney, past the airport through to St Peters, southern part of the CBD like Redfern and Surry Hills,” WestConnex chief executive Andrew Head said.
“Often there’s considerable congestion in the lead-up to King Georges Road coming from the west into the city and as you go through the M5 East tunnel, which is two lanes in each direction and very congested for a large proportion of the day.
“All the congestion people have been experiencing on the M5 East tunnel is going to be alleviated by having one effectively right next door.”
The speed limit in the tunnels will be 80km/h and 60km/h on the ramps.
The M8 tunnel will open with two lanes in each direction, but has been built with enough space for a third lane both ways if required.
Eventually the new M8 tunnel will connect to an M4-M5 link between St Peters and Haberfield, which will join the Anzac Bridge and the M4 tunnel.
The M4-M5 link is currently under construction and due to open in 2023, which will be the final piece of the 33-kilometre traffic-light free WestConnex motorway system.