M4 Viaduct open to Western Sydney
10 Feb 2017
This weekend thousands of motorists were able to drive on a new 2.5 kilometre elevated section of WestConnex motorway between Parramatta and Granville, opened by the newly appointed Minister for WestConnex Stuart Ayres. Minister Ayres said the opening of the viaduct is a major milestone in the project set to tackle congestion in Sydney's west. “For too long, western Sydney motorists have been stuck in a daily gridlock grind, and we are cracking on with getting this motorway finished, so drivers can get where they need to go " faster,” Mr Ayres said. “WestConnex will change the lives of thousands of motorists every day for the better, and for the many tradies, truckies, Mums and Dads heading home to get the kids, that day could not come soon enough. “After opening the G-Loop ramp just a few weeks ago, we opened this vital section of WestConnex, part of the infrastructure story which will eventually transform Sydney's transport network through a continuous free-flowing motorway. “More than 100,000 vehicles a day currently use the M4, which is congested for up to 13 hours a day, costing tax payers billions of dollars each year in time delays and lost productivity.” Sydney Motorway Corporation CEO Dennis Cliche said the new viaduct is an engineering feat come to life. “More than 238 concrete girders have been craned into place to build this viaduct, each girder weighing around 100 tonnes and stretching 50 metres in length,” Mr Cliche said. “More than 25,000 cubic metres of concrete and 8,000 tonnes of steel have been used to build the new engineering landmark and we think it's going to get motorists excited. “The full benefits of the new two-lane viaduct will be realised when all sections of the widened M4 open to traffic in the middle of this year, but the new viaduct is well and truly open to traffic,” Mr Cliche said. Motorists travelling west on the M4 Motorway will need to use the new elevated roadway unless exiting at James Ruse Drive. A section of westbound lanes will be closed on the M4 to progress construction work for the project. The widened M4 will connect with the new M4 East tunnels currently under construction, that will link Homebush with Haberfield.
