First look inside new M4 East Tunnel with opening ‘weeks away’
It promises to slash driving times and get 10,000 trucks off Parramatta Rd. The Sunday Telegraph’s Ben Pike was given an exclusive look inside the new M4 East tunnel. VIDEO: DRIVE THROUGH THE TUNNEL
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Call to give suburbs proper names and status
- Sydney council makes $1m in parking fines from one street
Motorists are weeks away from driving through “the best tunnel in the world” which promises to slash travel times and get 10,000 trucks off Parramatta Road.
The Sunday Telegraph has been given exclusive access to the New M4 East tunnels which link the M4 at Homebush with both the City West Link at Haberfield and Parramatta Rd, Ashfield.
The 5.5km twin tunnels — which run 35-50m underground through Sydney’s Inner West — have three lanes each way before dropping to two lanes at the eastbound exits.
The tunnels bypass 22 sets of traffic lights and offer welcome relief for western Sydney commuters crippled by long travel times.
The first underground stage of WestConnex bypasses the notorious pinch point where the M4 meets Parramatta Rd at Homebush.
Neighbours at war over air conditioner
Gladys wins legal battle against billionaire Triguboff
“There will be time savings of around 20 minutes I believe when you’re heading westbound and less than 10 minutes eastbound,” New M4 East project manager Terry Chapman said, adding travel estimates could vary significantly depending on how many people decide to travel through the tunnels.
Mr Chapman said along with being Sydney’s tallest (5.3m) and widest (three lanes and a 1m shoulder), its superior engineering makes it “best in the world”.
“I think people will feel not enclosed, that it is light and airy,” he said of the roadway, which has an 80km/h speed limit.
“And it is a very smooth ride. The best thing that they will notice is the speed.”
About 1000 people who live along the corridor will today get a sneak peek of the $3.8 billion project before it opens “within weeks”.
When WestConnex is complete in 2023 the tunnels will form part of a continuous 33km traffic light-free network which will create a western bypass of the CBD.
With the widened M4 complete and the New M4 Tunnels opening soon, the remaining stages are the new M5 (2020), the M4-M5 Link (2023) and Rozelle Interchange (2023).
“With the tunnels within weeks of opening now is a great time for a behind-the-scenes look at the progress that has been made,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
“Drivers will be able to travel from Penrith to the Anzac Bridge without having to stop at a single set of traffic lights, while a journey from Parramatta to the Airport will fall by up to 40 minutes.”
Suburbs to benefit most include Penrith, Parramatta, Rooty Hill, Lidcombe, Merrylands, Silverwater, Toongabbie, Erskine Park, Cranebrook, Girraween, Blacktown, Greystanes, Glenmore Park, Jordan Springs, Pemulway, Emu Plains, Jamisontown, Regentville, Horsley Park, Huntingwood and Doonside.
Cars will pay $4.27 between Homebush and Haberfield and $3.12 between Concord and Haberfield.
Those travelling on the widened M4 between Parramatta and Haberfield will pay a maximum of $7.89. Trucks will pay $23.65 for the same journey.
Commuters can make phone calls in the tunnels. Google Maps will not display the car as being in a tunnel, however, but rather how the phone’s surface location.
There is at least one speed camera each way and trucks will be subject to point-to-point speed monitoring.
Any vehicle that also has excessive exhaust emissions will be fined.
“This is a project that was talked about for decades and soon Sydney motorists will be able to experience the benefits,” WestConnex CEO Andrew Head said.
“The tunnels are the first of four major tunnel projects to open that make up WestConnex.
“When the network is complete, WestConnex will help change the way Sydneysiders move around our city.”
Originally published as First look inside new M4 East Tunnel with opening ‘weeks away’
Join the conversation
Splashdown! Day of disaster for Aussies in women’s America’s Cup
The women’s America’s Cup dream of an Australian crew is over after just two days of racing, a disastrous touchdown, a broken start penalty and erratic conditions. How it played out.
Read more
Council awarded more than $600k in compo battle over park, golf club
A Sydney council has secured a legal win against the NSW Government after disputing the amount of compensation it would receive for land forcibly acquired for a major tunnel project.
Read more