Plans for Beaches Link tunnel to cut congestion on Spit Bridge won’t be revealed until mid-2020
Roads Minister Andrew Constance confirmed the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade will be available in the New Year, but the Beaches Link will be a while longer.
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An environmental report into the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway upgrade will go on public display in January, but the Beaches Link report will not be available until mid 2020.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance confirmed the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade will be available to residents in the New Year.
The Western Harbour Tunnel includes a new bypass of Sydney CBD with the aim of taking pressure off Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Warringah Freeway upgrade will include improvements along a 4km stretch to better connect the Western Harbour Tunnel with the proposed Beaches Link tunnel.
The EIS for the Beaches Link — a new motorway tunnel connection from Seaforth and Balgowlah, under Middle Harbour, to Cammeray — will not be available for another six months or more.
“The Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link Program is an important part of the NSW Government’s vision to create an integrated transport network and listening to the community will help inform the final outcome,” Mr Constance said.
“This is a program of works our city desperately needs to ease congestion.
“Currently 4.3 million passenger trips are made across Sydney Harbour each week, making the Warringah Freeway one of the busiest and most complex roads in the country.
“This program will help to ease pressure on the road network and commuters, with a direct connection to WestConnex it will also bust congestion on the Anzac Bridge, Western Distributor and Sydney Harbour Bridge corridor.”
Mr Constance said travel times will be slashed once this part of the work is complete.
“The first part of the program will deliver huge time savings, both for drivers and for public transport customers,” he said.
“Commuters travelling from Leichhardt to North Sydney will save 20 minutes off their trip. It’ll also save 15 minutes for anyone travelling from North Sydney to the Airport and up to 25 minutes off a trip between Parramatta and Manly.
“Bus customers will also experience time-savings with a continuous southbound bus lane on the Warringah Freeway from Miller Street to the Sydney Harbour Bridge plus new direct connections to the Victoria Cross Metro station at North Sydney.
“Access will also improve for cyclists and pedestrians across the project, including new and enhanced paths along and across the Warringah Freeway and Wakehurst Parkway.”
The NSW Government has also committed to enhancing public spaces upon completion of the project, including new and improved recreational and sports facilities at Balgowlah.
The planning process for the Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link Program will be staged, in line with other infrastructure projects of this scale, such as Sydney Metro.
The EIS for the Beaches Link is expected to be available for public exhibition from mid-2020.
Member for Mackellar, Jason Falinski has supported the New South Wales Government’s recent announcement for the finalisation of the proposed reference design for the Beaches Link.
“It is good to see the New South Wales government getting on with the job of building vital infrastructure on the Northern Beaches.” Mr Falinski said.
“Tony Abbott and I fought hard to secure $50 million of federal funding for the project and the people of the Northern Beaches expect to see that put to good use.”