Sydney’s newest motorway junction comes with a warning

Motorists have been warned to expect traffic congestion at key merge points during morning peaks on Sydney’s City West Link and Victoria Road when a new underground motorway interchange for WestConnex in the inner city opens within the next two months.

The pinch points are expected to occur where city-bound traffic from the M4 motorway exits the interchange and hits the City West Link, as well as where vehicles leave the M8 and merge with traffic using a new 1.1-kilometre tunnel bypass of Victoria Road onto the Anzac Bridge.

In an attempt to avoid major disruptions, the government has released a series of animations to help motorists navigate the 16.6 kilometres of new motorway tunnels beneath Rozelle. The videos show routes though the Rozelle interchange to various destinations including the CBD.

Transport for NSW executive Howard Collins at the Rozelle site on Tuesday.Credit: Steven Siewert

Roads Minister John Graham said congestion was expected to increase along Victoria Road and the City West Link while some queuing was likely on a new M4 exit ramp during the morning peak until motorists became familiar with it.

“When a major piece of road infrastructure like Rozelle interchange opens, we expect drivers will take time to adjust to the new roads and route options, but these videos will give a head start,” he said.

Graham said the $3.9 billion project was a tunnel interchange “like no other” because it comprised 16 kilometres of road tunnels and a further eight kilometres of ventilation shafts and access routes.

“This is an incredibly complex piece of engineering in a very constrained space,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons why we’re keen for drivers to make sure they know what they’ve got themselves in for as they head into these tunnels.”

At its widest, 14 lanes are now in place near the western end of Anzac Bridge to accommodate traffic using the interchange and other arterial routes.

About 100,000 vehicles a day are forecast to travel through the underground interchange every day after it opens by December.

The interchange connects the M4 and M8, the Anzac Bridge, City West Link and the Iron Cove Link, and will eventually link to the planned $7 billion Western Harbour Tunnel from Rozelle to North Sydney. The latter is due to open in 2028.

Ahead of a December ribbon cutting for the interchange, a 235-metre road bridge over eight traffic lanes of the City West Link and a four-way intersection will open to vehicles next Tuesday. Motorists can access the Crescent overpass via Johnston Street or Link Road.

Transport for NSW co-ordinator general Howard Collins urged motorists to check out their routes using the animations before they travelled on the interchange when it opens.

“Just watch out because there will be new pinch points and maybe traffic building in certain areas as you go over the Anzac Bridge, for example, and Victoria Road,” he said.

Asked how challenging the interchange would be for motorists to navigate, Collins said the beauty of modern motorways was their improved signage, lane markings and variable speeds. “Just take your time and make up your mind early. Don’t panic – that’s the most important thing. Don’t stop or try and reverse,” he said. “Keep going and follow the signs, and if you somehow end up on Victoria Road rather than the Anzac Bridge, there are places you can safely turn around.”

Collins said traffic during the evening peak was expected to be “quicker and faster” from the CBD over the Anzac Bridge after the interchange opens.

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