The NSW government will inject $250 million into fixing a choke-point on a key arterial route to Sydney’s northern beaches, clearing the way for construction to begin in 2028.
The funding for widening the western section of Mona Vale Road – to be announced in the state budget on Tuesday – will match a $250 million commitment by the federal government in March. The road is a key east-west route that connects the northern beaches peninsula to Sydney’s north at Pymble.
The latest funding commitment will clear the way for an upgrade to Mona Vale Road in northern Sydney.Credit: Flavio Brancaleone
The project involves upgrading 3.4 kilometres of Mona Vale Road from two lanes to four lanes between McCarrs Creek Road in Terrey Hills and Powderworks Road in Ingleside.
The upgrade will include a new traffic signal intersection with Kimbriki Road as well as relocating the intersection with Tumburra Street to the west by about 40 metres.
Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said the congestion and safety improvements for one of the busiest arterial routes on the northern beaches would make a “real difference” to the local community.
“The most important thing this announcement delivers is the certainty for the project to proceed. Transport for NSW will now be able to move ahead with critical planning work along this important corridor,” she said.
Planning, design and environmental assessment work is expected to take about 2½ years, allowing construction to start in 2028. The construction is slated to take at least two years. A property acquisition process is set to begin early next year, the details of which are yet to be revealed.
As part of the project, a 40-metre fauna bridge over Mona Vale Road and two fauna underpasses will be built for wildlife, while a shared-use path will be constructed on the northern side of Mona Vale Road between McCarrs Creek Road and Addison Road for cyclists and pedestrians.
After winning the 2023 state election, the Minns government deferred funding for widening the western section of Mona Vale Road by two years.
The former Coalition government had set aside $340 million over four years for the project to ease traffic congestion in peak periods and reduce travel times
Aitchison acknowledged the role played by Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby and federal MP for Mackellar Sophie Scamps in advocating for the project.
Scruby said she would be holding the government to account to ensure the funding turned into “real progress” on the ground.
“Finishing the Mona Vale Road is an issue that unites my community – it’s a safety risk and traffic bottleneck,” she said.
The state government spent $140 million upgrading an eastern section of the thoroughfare, between Manor Road in Ingleside and Foley Street in Mona Vale, which was completed last year.
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