This week, the Sydney Gateway reached a major milestone as the $2.6 billion project reached the halfway mark. The project will overhaul how people reach the airport and drastically improve connectivity to Sydney’s growing population centres.
Sydney Gateway will reduce travel from Parramatta by 40 minutes
The project promises to radically improve transport options for people travelling to and from Sydney Airport by the end of 2024. The airport has seen vastly increased numbers since the reopening of Australia’s borders which has seen airlines struggle and extensive queues leading to bottlenecks around the Mascot site.
Work is due to begin on the signature twin archway bridge over the Alexandra Canal in Tempe, connecting the airport to Sydney’s motorway network. NSW Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward confirmed that 10 of the 17 headstocks holding the flyover in place, each weighing as much as a Boeing 737 aircraft, are in the ground indicating the project is on track to finish on time.
The Gateway project will have the capacity to carry 100,000 vehicles daily upon completion, bypassing 26 traffic lights between Parramatta and Sydney Airport and reducing the drive by up to 40 minutes.
Some questions were raised earlier in the year over the cost of the project. However, NSW Treasurer Matt Kean is not only confident that the project is on time and on budget but said that it is creating a strong economic stimulus through job creation.
“Sydney Gateway will generate and support more than 4,000 jobs across the construction and manufacturing industries in Sydney and regional NSW over the life of the project,” Mr Kean said.
Matt Kean was also keen to mention that the project is providing jobs for 430 young people, more than 500 women and 130 people that identify as Aboriginal. These numbers are considered well above industry standards for a project of this scale.
The project won’t just improve airport connectivity, but it will also benefit the local community by increasing pedestrian and cycle path options, providing residents with another green way to travel around the city. Minister for Infrastructure, Cities, and Active Transport Rob Stokes says this project was designed with the community’s feedback in mind.
“The Sydney Gateway project includes a new three-kilometre pedestrian and cycle path along Alexandra Canal, creating a transport link for those who want an alternative way to travel to or from work or home,” Mr Stokes said.
Mr Stokes says the Sydney Gateway project is part of the larger “$76.7 billion transport infrastructure investment across the state over the next four years”.
Riding the streets of congestion as Sydney continues to grow
Sydney is entering a hyper-growth phase, with projections expecting the emerald city and New South Wales to be home to over 12 million people by 2056, rivalling major cities like London and New York. To support rapid growth and expansion, a second airport is being built in the city’s west while Transport for NSW works on improving connectivity around the city. Meanwhile, Sydney Airport is ramping up staff hiring after holding two job fair events this year, predicting a bumper summer is in store.
The Sydney Gateway project is just one part of the wider infrastructure initiative taking place this decade. The next major step of the project will get underway shortly, with the twin archway bridges forming an eye-catching symbol.
“The foundations have been laid, and workers will soon embark on the major engineering feat of putting together the 3,000 tonnes of 100 per cent Australian steel to form these eye-catching bridges,” said Mrs Ward.
The project is scheduled to open to the public in late 2024, around the same time the Syndey Metro line running from Chatswood to Bankstown is due for completion.
