The Eastern Distributor is a six kilometre motorway link between the city and Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport and Port Botany.

The Eastern Distributor was funded and built by Airport Motorway Limited, which operates, maintains and repairs the motorway until 2048, when it is scheduled to revert to public ownership.

For information on using the Eastern Distributor go to www.easterndistributor.com 

The Eastern Distributor project won two of the nation's highest awards for engineering excellence:

• The prestigious Bradfield Award.
• The Sir William Hudson Award.

Background

Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) identified the need for a fast, efficient motorway to reduce through traffic in the inner city and to reduce travel times between the city and Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport and Port Botany.

Key features

• 'The Parkway' - a landscaped sunken section of the motorway along South Dowling Street, Surry Hills.
• The creation of new public space in Taylor Square with the closure of Bourke Street.
• The Landbridge: close to one hectare of parkland has been created through the construction of a shelter arching over the the Cahill Expressway, uniting parts of the Domain.
• A substantial upgrade of Moore Park.

For more information on urban design, see Beyond the Pavement and Achievements in Road Design.

Road users benefit from

• Faster and more reliable travel to the airport.
• Quicker journey times between the Cahill Expressway at Woolloomooloo and Southern Cross Drive at Zetland.
• Full access to the CBD from Woolloomooloo, due to the reopening of Cathedral Street. 

Public transport users benefit from

• Faster and more efficient bus travel on new dedicated bus lanes on Oxford and Flinders streets.

Local residents benefit from

• Reduced traffic on eastern Sydney streets.
• Lessened traffic noise and air pollution.
• Improved amenity on local streets due to traffic calming measures and landscaping.
• Improved local access with the conversion of former one way streets back to two way streets (for example Crown Street and Bourke Street).