Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is upgrading the Cumberland Highway southbound between Smith Street and the M4 to improve traffic flow for through and turning traffic movements. The westbound right turn bay from the Great Western Highway to the Cumberland Highway will be extended to improve access to the bay and reduce the crash risk for road users.

BACKGROUND

This project is part of the NSW Government's $100 million Pinch Point Program. The program is to reduce delays and manage congestion on Sydney's main roads particularly during week day peak periods as well as improve road safety for all road users. The project forms the final stage of works developed to upgrade the Cumberland Highway at the M4/Old Prospect Road/Great Western Highway interchange.

Long queues extend beyond the Great Western Highway for southbound vehicles on the Cumberland Highway, both entering the M4 on ramps and continuing southbound, particularly at morning and afternoon peak periods. Queued vehicles often block the Great Western Highway intersection, which causes delays on the Great Western Highway. There are also long queues for northbound vehicles on the Cumberland Highway.

The community were invited to comment on the proposal. The noise assessment and the community issues report detailing community concerns are available on the project documents page.

FEATURES

Features of the project are:

• Widen Cumberland Highway on the eastern side for a southbound dedicated left turn lane to the M4 eastbound on ramp.
• Provide a dedicated southbound lane to feed traffic to the dual right turn lanes of the M4 westbound on ramp.
• Convert Cumberland Highway southbound left turn lane into Great Western Highway to a through lane and reconstruct the left turn slip lane.
• Extend the southbound right turn lane from Cumberland Highway to Great Western Highway by 125 metres.
• Extend the westbound right turn bay from Great Western Highway to Cumberland Highway by 165 metres.
• Construction of shared path and retaining wall or sloping embankment southbound between Great Western Highway and M4.
• Removal and trimming of trees and replacement landscaping.
• Replacement of two zebra crossings with signal controlled pedestrian crossings.
• Realignment, resurfacing and line marking of lanes.
• Realignment of medians, kerbs and gutters.
• Adjustment of public utilities such as drainage and lighting.
• Use of existing site compound at Mons Road, Northmead.

The work will tie in with existing and current works on the Cumberland Highway and M4 access ramps.

BENEFITS

The benefits of the project are:

• Reduced traffic delays, improved traffic flow and efficiency.
• Improved road safety for all road users.