Transportation Planning Casebook/Westconnex - What Went Wrong

Summary
WestConnex is a significant road infrastructure project in Australia and is considered a crucial part of a larger effort to improve the transportation system in Sydney and Australia. This project spans about 33 km and has built approximately 26 km of tunnels between Homebush and Kingsgrove, running beneath Inner West communities such as Haberfield and St Peters. Along with the NSW Government's unprecedented investment in public transportation infrastructure, WestConnex aims to reduce traffic congestion, create many job opportunities, and connect communities.

The origins of the WestConnex project can be traced back to early planning initiatives such as the Cumberland County Plan of 1948. This plan aimed to establish a network of radial motorways that would revolve around the Central Business District (CBD) of Sydney. However, it faced opposition from the community and the government and lost its significance over time. The subsequent plans, such as the "Roads 2000" in the 1970s and the motorway projects proposed under the Labor government in the 2000s, laid the initial groundwork for the WestConnex project.

The "First Things First" strategy of 2012 was an important turning point for the Sydney motorways, where Infrastructure NSW identified the WestConnex motorway as the most significant road priority in New South Wales. The initial proposal included expanding existing motorways, constructing new tunnels, and repairing surface roads. However, the proposal lacked a direct link to the CBD. Despite some concerns and criticism, construction began in 2015, marking the beginning of several stages aimed at improving traffic flow, connectivity, and travel times.

Over the years, with modifications to the initial proposals, major portions of the project, including the M4 Tunnels and WestConnex M8, was completed, allowing drivers to save significant time. However, the project faced several challenges, such as criticism for its high cost, environmental impacts, and community health concerns. The completion of the Rozelle Interchange, which is a crucial milestone especially for future projects such as the Western Harbor Tunnel and Sydney Gateway, also resulted in traffic congestion, causing inconvenience to the commuters. Additionally, the tolling system raised concerns regarding affordability and fairness, with commuters potentially having to pay high tolls.

Overall, the WestConnex project is a significant development in Sydney's infrastructure that is expected to transform the city's transportation system. The project has implemented various proactive solutions, including design alterations, emergency works, and improved transparency. Moving forward, the project will continue to progress with proposals for the Western Harbor Tunnel, Sydney Gateway, and the M6 Stage 1 and Stage 2 Motorways, with the aim of enhancing Sydney's transportation network and reducing congestion. As Sydney grows and evolves, WestConnex will remain an essential component of the city's infrastructure plan, shaping the future mobility and connectivity of New South Wales.

Public / Private Funding
The WestConnex project was initially funded through a hybrid model of financing which included an initial contribution from the NSW and Australian Government, alongside private sector debt and tolling revenue. A new Government owned corporation, the Sydney Motorway Corporation was set up in 2014 in order to finance and deliver WestConnex.

Initial investment into the government owned corporation included :


 * $1.8 billion from the NSW Government


 * $1.5 billion grant from the Australian Government


 * $2 billion concessional loan from the Australian Government


 * $3.2 billion in private sector financing

After the delivery of the initial stages of WestConnex, the New South Wales government in 2018 sold a 51% stake in the Sydney Motorway Corporation for $9.26 billion, raising money from project equity which could be invested into the later stages of the project. In September 2021 the remaining 49% of the Sydney Motorway Corporation was sold to the Sydney Transport Partners consortium for an additional $11.11 billion.

Tolling Strategy
By purchasing the Sydney Motorway Corporation, the Sydney Transport Partners gained access to guaranteed tolling concessions. These concessions provide guarantees around the ability to raise tolls on the WestConnex motorway through to the end of 2060.

NSW Government Strategic Objectives
When recommending the delivery of the WestConnex project in 2012, Infrastructure NSW proposed the following objectives :


 * Improved access and connections to Western Sydney and key employment hubs across the city.
 * Relieve road congestion to improve the reliability and safety of travel in the M4 and M5 corridors).
 * Create opportunities for urban renewal, improved livability and public and active transport improvements along and around Parramatta Road.
 * Shifting through traffic and heavy vehicles to underground motorways and returning local streets to local communities.
 * Enhanced productivity for commercial and freight-generating land uses located along the WestConnex corridors.
 * Optimize user-pays contributions in a way that is affordable, equitable and fair.

Cumberland County Plan
The Cumberland County Plan, which led to the development of WestConnex, was the first comprehensive plan for the Sydney motorways. The plan was proposed by the Cumberland County Council in 1948 and adopted by the New South Wales government in 1951. Its objective was to establish a radial motorway network centered around the Central Business District (CBD) of Sydney which advocated for decentralization, zoning, green belts, open spaces, and improved road and rail systems. However, this vision was not fully realized.

While Sydney had a comprehensive plan for the railway system and several planned areas, including the city core, the city's expansion was primarily organic and followed a "starfish" structure in the early twentieth century. This structure closely followed the railway and tramway lines that extended from the city center. To address the postwar metropolitan growth, the McKell Labor government passed legislation in 1944 that established a unified planning authority for Sydney. As a result, the Cumberland County Council was founded in July 1945 to serve as the sole planning body of Sydney.

The plan faced opposition from NSW Government agencies, landowners, and local citizens and lost its patron when the county council was abolished in 1963. In 1976, with the election of the Australian Labor Party under Premier Neville Wran, the plan lost its relevance which resulted in halting of work on inner-city projects, reducing the under-construction Eastern Suburbs railway line, and eliminating many of Cumberland Plan's inner-city road reservations. Though Wran's choice to sell up the M4 East corridor was later questioned, the Cumberland Plan's radial design was already beginning to lose relevance.

Roads 2000
In 1975, the Commonwealth Bureau of Roads proposed a significant investment in the construction of urban arterial roads to address the urban requirements. However, due to economic constraints in the late 1970s and early 1980s, this proposal was not supported by the state or federal governments. Consequently, the existing urban road difficulties threatened to halt the smooth functioning of Sydney by 1987. To address this issue, the Department of Main Roads proposed to revive the motorway plans. .

The resulting state-wide planning program, "Roads 2000," aimed to re-sheet highways, replace bridges in rural regions, and implement new traffic controls. Its most ambitious project, the orbital, was a new freeway/motorway route around Sydney that would connect all of the radial and intercity highways while bypassing the congested urban areas. The Western Motorway (M4), from Lapstone to Concord, was completed in 1992, and the South-Western Motorway (M5), from Prestons to Beverly Hills, was completed in 1995. However, the M5 East segment of the orbital, which connects Beverly Hills and the airport, remained debated. Though a surface corridor had been reserved for much of the route, the Labor government was concerned about minimizing surface damage. Following last-minute design changes, the resulting roadway that opened in 2001 still was too steep for heavy trucks returning from Port Botany, which led to an increase in vehicle emissions and overloaded ventilation systems.

Labor Proposals from the 2000s
The Labor government proposed several Sydney motorways during the 2000s.

"First Things First" Strategy of 2012
The "First Things First" strategy of 2012 was a turning point in Sydney's transport planning. The Coalition government of Premier Barry O'Farrell, which was elected in 2011 with the intention of overhauling the city's transportation system, commissioned Infrastructure NSW (iNSW), led by former Premier Nick Greiner, to review projects and identify priorities. The following year, iNSW's strategy nominated the construction of a 33 km freeway, known as the "WestConnex," as the state's top road priority.

Initially, the WestConnex plan proposed :


 * Widening the existing M4 between Parramatta and Homebush.
 * Extending the M4 to Camperdown.
 * Building a tunnel (later known as the "M4 South" or "M4-M5 Link") from Camperdown to St Peters for access to Port Botany and Sydney Airport.
 * Widening the existing M5 East.
 * Improving surface roads around the port and airport.

Despite its emphasis on travel to and from Botany Bay's international ports, the proposal lacked a direct link to the CBD, limiting the federal investments.

Further Improvements and Alterations
In 2013, the WestConnex project was separated into three sections: M4 Widening, M4 East, and M5 East Airport Link, with additional stages planned to complete the inner-city bypass. The initial concept was further modified in late 2014, particularly for the M4-M5 Link, which included realignments to enable a future second harbor road tunnel as well as improvements such as the Rozelle Interchange and a tunnel beneath Rozelle to bypass Victoria Road congestion.

Time to Start Property Acquisition and Construction
Property acquisition and construction work for the WestConnex project began in 2015. Specifically, construction of the M4 widening began in March 2015, marking the start of actual construction on the project. This phase of work includes widening the old M4 Western Motorway from Parramatta to Homebush Bay to four lanes from its original two or three lanes, and a new three-lane tunnel from Homebush to Haberfield.

Public and Political Reaction
The WestConnex project has been met with widespread public and political reaction, including questions about the project's cost, expected traffic mitigation effects and concerns about environmental and community health impacts. Specifically, criticisms regarding health impacts have focused on the underestimation of health impacts during the planning process, with impact assessments on air quality and noise in particular being seen as inadequate.

In addition, the City of Sydney City Council clearly opposes the WestConnex project, believing that this project fails to solve Sydney's transportation connectivity problems and may lead to increased air pollution and traffic congestion. The city government also pointed out that the total cost of the project may be as high as A$45 billion and will have a minimal impact on most people's commuting time savings, while also increasing the financial burden on citizens due to high tolls.

Trade-offs and Design Changes during the Construction Phase
In 2016, Transport for New South Wales revised the conceptual design of the M4-M5 Link Road and Rozelle Interchange to better integrate existing roads and communities. These modifications are designed to reduce the impact on surrounding communities while optimizing traffic flow and reducing congestion on major roads, without increasing the overall cost of the project.

These design changes include realigning the route to reduce disruption to residential areas and adding sound insulation to reduce noise pollution during construction and operation. In addition, the design adjustments to the Rozelle Interchange include more public spaces and green areas to enhance the quality of life for the surrounding community and strive to minimize environmental impact.

Contract and Management Innovations
Significant innovations in contract management and procurement helped accelerate the project timelines. For example, the M4 East segment benefitted from an accelerated procurement strategy that allowed for faster contract awards and construction commencement, which was crucial in meeting tight deadlines.

The M4 Tunnels
The first major stage of WestConnex were completed in July 2019, linking to the widened M4 motorway and Haberfield. Motorists on this section of WestConnex are saving an average of 35 minutes on their westbound peak time journey compared to Parramatta Road.

WestConnex M8
The second stage of WestConnex, open since July 2020, doubles the capacity of the M5 East via twin 9km tunnels. The tunnels cut up to 30 minutes off a trip between Liverpool and the southern CBD.

The new extensions of the M4 and M8
The third stage of WestConnex opened in January 2023, linking the M4 at Haberfield with the M8 at St Peters.

The Rozelle Interchange
The final stage of WestConnex opened to traffic in November 2023. It connects the M4-M5 Link to the Anzac and Iron Cove bridges, and the future Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link. The Rozelle Interchange is being built almost entirely underground, freeing up space for a new regional park.

Issues and solutions
After the Rozelle Interchange was delivered, some issues appeared. As a result of the new junction, 10 lanes of traffic now have to merge into four lanes on the Anzac Bridge. Instead of bringing convenience to the public, the project has caused traffic bedlam. Therefore, people called it the labyrinthine "spaghetti" junction, the world's most complex underground.

On 4th December, 2023, emergency works were carried out to improve "pinch points" on Sydney's Rozelle interchange, which will add a second lane for 400 meters where the City West Link merges with the new Crescent Overpass before Anzac Bridge. In February, 2024, The NSW Government responded to community calls for greater transparency around the Rozelle Interchange, with the release for the first time of travel time data to help motorists plan their trips.

Western Harbour Tunnel
The Western Harbour Tunnel is currently under construction and will provide a third road crossing point of Sydney Harbour and will provide a western bypass of the Sydney CBD. Some of the traffic from Westconnex entering the Rozelle Interchange will be diverted from the Anzac Bridge and be able to travel directly across the harbour into North Sydney or from North Sydney directly to the inner west, bypassing the Sydney CBD.

Sydney Gateway
The Sydney Gateway project is currently under construction and will provide a connection from the WestConnex motorway at St Peters to the domestic and international Sydney Airport terminals. It will also provide more connectivity from Port Botany into the motorway network for road freight.

Alongside the motorway project the freight rail line between Port Botany and Mascot has been duplicated to provide additional freight rail capacity, and contribute to reducing the number of trucks on Sydney roads.

M6 Stage 1 Motorway
The M6 stage 1 motorway project is currently under construction and will connect the Westconnex M8 at Arncliffe to the A1 at President Avenue in Kogarah via an underground tunnel. The aim of the project is to provide a more direct connection from southern Sydney into the wider motorway network. It is also intended to reduce traffic on surface streets (particularly heavy vehicles).

The project also incorporates a road/tunnel stubs to allow for the future extension of the M6 tunnels.

M6 Stage 2 Motorway
The M6 Stage 2 project is a planned extension of the M6 to the south which would extend the motorway network through the Sutherland Shire and connecting to the A1 motorway at Loftus. This would divert traffic (particularly heavy vehicles) from existing surface roads, and extend the motorway network to the southern urban fringe of Sydney.

The project has no committed funding or planning approvals and was shelved indefinitely by the NSW Government in June 2022, however the road corridor for the extension has been reserved since 1951.

Discussion Questions

 * 1) How could the Sydney Motorway design have been deployed in a more effective way?
 * 2) Is the 1948 Cumberland County Plan fit for purpose in 2024?
 * 3) Is the current road user tolling of traffic on the motorway network consistent with the goals of the network?
 * 4) To what extent has the WestConnex project met the Government's strategic objectives for the project?