In November 2009, the NSW Government announced a proposal to expand the M5 corridor. The proposal includes: 

• Widening the M5 South West Motorway from two to three lanes in each direction.
• Widening the M5 East Freeway east of King Georges Road to four lanes in each direction.
• Providing four new lanes in a tunnel(s) next to the existing the M5 East tunnel.
• Providing a new four lane arterial road from the M5 East tunnels to the airport, the port and the industrial land uses north of the airport*

*The NSW Government has asked the RTA to look at alternative corridor options for the new four lane arterial road from the M5 East tunnels that minimise the impact to the Tempe area.

The alternatives being developed will improve the links from the M5 to the Sydney Airport and Port Botany areas without building a road throught Tempe Reserve.

The M5 corridor is the main road freight, commercial and passenger route between Port Botany and Sydney Airport and south west Sydney. It is part of the National Highway Network connecting Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. Improving the M5 corridor is a major focus for the NSW Government due to the motorway’s function as a critical economic driver for NSW and Australia.
 
In recent years traffic levels and the high number of heavy vehicles on this route mean the corridor is operating at or near capacity in peak hours. This impacts on Sydney’s economic productivity and competitiveness. The situation will be further compounded by planned commercial and industrial growth at Port Botany and Sydney Airport as well as planned population and employment growth along the corridor.

Click here to view the M5 Transport Corridor feasibility study (November 2009).

Click here to view the M5 Corridor Expansion overview booklet (November 2009).

M5 West widening community update, September 2010
The environmental assessment for the proposed M5 West widening will soon be available for display and comment by the community. Comments relating to the M5 South West Motorway submitted during the M5 corridor expansion community consultation from November 2009 to March 2010 have been considered in the M5 West widening proposal process.
The community update provides further information on some of the main issues relating to the M5 South West Motorway raised during the M5 corridor expansion community consultation.
To view the M5 West widening community update, September 2010  click here.

Click here to view Sydney Orbital Network animation.