The construction mid-point for WestConnex’s M4 East tunnel has been chosen to reduce residential impact and allow tunnelling in both directions from one location.
The mid-point is at Cintra Park Hockey Field in Concord, Sydney. This will eliminate residential property acquisition and provide direct access to Parramatta Road for spoil removal to ensure local streets won’t be affected.
NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Duncan Gay said the field was selected to be the most suitable across all shortlisted tenders.
“The mid-point allows tunnelling work to be carried out in two directions from the one location, towards the M4 Widening at Homebush Bay Drive and towards the end of the M4 East tunnel at Haberfield,” Minister Gay said.
Work at the midway tunnelling point will occur around 35 metres below the road surface, also limiting impact on nearby residents.
Minister Gay said that relocating the hockey field was a key priority.
“We’ll be delivering a new and improved field as well as upgraded amenities such as new player facilities and lighting towers directly across the road in the St Lukes Park precinct,” he said.
The mid-point’s confirmation comes just two weeks after construction started on widening the M4. Both projects make up stage one of WestConnex. When stage one is complete motorists travelling between Parramatta and Haberfield will cut their travel time by about 15 minutes and bypass 13 sets of traffic lights.
WestConnex stages
- Stage one: Widen the M4 from Church Street at Parramatta to Homebush Bay Drive and extend the M4 via a tunnel under the Parramatta Road corridor to Parramatta Road and City West Link, Haberfield.
- Stage two: Deliver a new M5 that runs from the existing M5 East corridor at Beverly Hills via the tunnel to St Peters.
- Stage three: Join the M4 and M5 corridors in the middle to deliver a motorway tunnel with three lanes in each direction that joins the first two stages.
Investigation work for the new hockey field started this week and will be completed by the end of May.
A decision on the preferred tenderer and design for the M4 East tunnel is expected in the coming months with construction to start mid next year.