Western Harbour Tunnel ‘would create 15,000 jobs’

NSW Transport Minister And­rew Constance has been privately holding talks with federal ministers to chip in to the Western Harbour Tunnel, identifying the 6.5km tunnel as the biggest and most important road project of the next decade.

NSW will push for a 50/50 funding deal with Canberra to finance its plans for a massive second underground harbour crossing.

Transport Minister And­rew Constance has been privately holding talks with federal ministers to chip in to the Western Harbour Tunnel, and has identified the 6.5km tunnel as the biggest and most important road project of the next decade.

The project would create 15,000 jobs, when combined with the Northern Beaches Link and “shift the dial” with improving congestion and productivity in the state, Mr Constance said.

He  has  pushed  for fund­ing in the October Federal Budget.

“This is the No.1 mega project which we see as critical to the future of Sydney,” Mr Constance said.

“It can generate 15,000 jobs which is critical to our economic future.”

A drilling rig doing tests for the Western Harbour Tunnel. Picture: Craig Wilson

Mr Constance said the project was suitable for federal funding because it was ­“clearly a national project that would truly shift the dial with productivity uplift in terms of congestion”.

“I’m keen for the feds to have a close look at it,” he said.

“This will be the biggest road project of the 2020s in terms of impact and I’m keen for Canberra to help us.”

Mr Constance has had a ­series of talks about the project with Minister for Cities Alan Tudge.

The government expects to have the environmental ­impact statement for the ­project finalised in six months before going to contracting and construction phases.

The government has identified the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Warringah Freeway and the Eastern distributor among Australia’s 30 most congested roads. The Western Harbour Tunnel proposal would link Rozelle to the Warringah Freeway.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge, Warringah Freeway and the Eastern distributor are among Australia’s 30 most congested roads

Creating a western bypass of the CBD, Mr Constance said the crossing would fundamentally change the way ­people move around the city for generations and would ease pressure on the Anzac Bridge, Sydney Harbour Tunnel and the Harbour Bridge.

The 6.5km tunnel would have three lanes in each ­direction. The government ­estimates the tunnel would save 20 minutes from Sydney Olympic Park to North Sydney, 20 minutes from Leichhardt to North Sydney and 15 minutes from North Sydney to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport.

The Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade is expected support around 7500 full-time equivalent jobs through construction and transform the way we move around Sydney.

When combined with Beaches Link, it grows to 15,000.