NSW Budget: State and federal governments commit $156m to North West Sydney roads

Booming suburbs in one Sydney area will receive a major funding splash to ease congestion and cut travel times, with the federal and state governments teaming up to spend $156m on planning local roads.

Booming suburbs in North West Sydney will receive a major funding splash to ease congestion and cut travel times, with the federal and state governments teaming up to spend $156m on local roads.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the $68m will be set aside in the Minns government’s budget next week alongside another $88m from the Albanese government to fund the planning and development of critical road upgrades in Rooty Hill, Marsden Park, Schofields, Blacktown and Rouse Hill.

The cash splash comes as the North West emerges as one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, with more than 250,000 people expected to call the area home in the coming years.

In a bid to cope with new housing, schools and hospitals, the federal government and NSW government will jointly spend $49m to plan upgrades and wider lanes along the Richmond Road Corridor, taking the total investment to $74m.

Plans to connect the future Rouse Hill Hospital precinct to surrounding suburbs with new roads, shared paths and bus lanes will receive $10m.

Plans to upgrade Townson and Burdekin Rds will get a major boost, with renders predicting the final product. Picture: NSW Government

The federal government will match this with its own $10m commitment to progress planning work, as part of the $200m already pledged to the site.

Toongabbie Bridge will receive a major revamp with the federal government allocating $25m for critical upgrades, while a further $30m will go towards the future connection of Townson and Burdekin Roads in Schofields.

About $20m in total has been committed to build roads, shared paths and bus lanes connecting to Rouse Hill Hospital.

About $27m will be spent to plan the upgrade of Garfield Road West in Marsden Park, alongside $1.5m from the state government to fix the congested intersection at Flushcombe Road in Blacktown and $3.5m to plan a new Francis Road rail overpass at Rooty Hill.

Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said the joint investment aims to “kickstart” long-promised projects so the next round of construction can get underway, starting with the next stage of the Richmond Road widening project.

The money adds to the $2 billion already committed to improving transport infrastructure across the region.

“The Minns Labor Government is building better communities and investing to get critical road projects shovel-ready,” Ms Aitchison said.

NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

“Roads are essential infrastructure for the growing communities of North West Sydney and that is why we are partnering with the Albanese Government to invest $156 million to kickstart planning for a series of major arterial road projects.

“This is about new and widened roads, new intersections, roundabouts and safety improvements – all supporting new homes, expanding suburbs and new facilities … (to ensure) our communities remain liveable.”

Western Sydney Acting Minister Courtney Houssos said the money will help out local families who “for too long have been stuck in congested roads which haven’t kept up

with development”.
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Originally published as NSW Budget: State and federal governments commit $156m to North West Sydney roads