Proposed roads in Sydney

Various roads, highways and freeways have been proposed for Sydney, Australia, including substantial inner city expressways until their cancellation in 1977,[1]: 33  and more recently arterial road widening projects.[2]

Current proposals

Current road proposals in Sydney include the Alexandria to Moore Park Project, and "seven key road arteries" in Sydney's west.[2]

Outer Sydney Orbital

The Outer Sydney Orbital is a proposed corridor for a motorway and freight rail line in Western Sydney.[3][4] The motorway is proposed to be signposted M9 or M10.[5] Sydney Outer Orbital motorway will be connecting Gosford – Western Sydney Airport – Wollongong.

Under construction roads

M6 Motorway

The M6 Motorway is an under-construction motorway linking the M8 Motorway at Arncliffe to President Avenue at Kogarah.[6]

Western Harbour Tunnel

The Western Harbour Tunnel is six lane, 6.5-kilometre (4.0 mi) tunnel under construction from Cammeray to Rozelle, passing beneath Sydney Harbour. It is scheduled for completion in 2028.

Warringah Freeway Upgrade

The Warringah Freeway is being upgraded to accommodate tunnel entries and exists for the Western Harbour Tunnel.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge, Warringah Freeway and Eastern Distributor have been identified as among Australia’s 30 most congested roads.[7]

Richmond Road Upgrade

In February 2026, construction of the $720 million Richmond Road upgrade began.[8]

The Richmond Road Upgrade includes:[8]

  • the $520 million M7 Motorway to Townson Road upgrade
  • the $150 million Elara Boulevard to Heritage Road upgrade
  • the $50 million Richmond Road Corridor planning project, which will investigate possible road upgrades along the M7 Motorway to The Driftway corridor

Studies

Geometric Design Study (De Leuw Cather, 1961)

De Leuw Cather undertook one of the first transport plans in Sydney in 1960, and a proposal for Sydney Urban Expressways in 1961.[9]: 3 [10]: 201, 202, 203 [11][12]

The study "design year" was 1980.[12]: vii  The 1948 network was deemed "adequate" for 1960 traffic demand, but was forecast to only accommodate 45% of 1980 demand as too many routes would converge at Ultimo Interchange.[12]: vii 

The engagement of the 1961 DLC report didn't include detailed location or geometric design for the newly proposed portions of the expressway system, however it included an indicative map.[12]: 2 

In 1963, the consultants (De Leuw Cather) were continuing their investigations into certain aspects in more detail, in particular for the Warringah Freeway. The consultants were also "investigating a connection between Druitt Street and Ultimo" by 1963[13]: 5  (likely the Western Distributor).

Rod Fraser, Chief County Planner of the Cumberland County Council[14]: 130 (PDF 135) ), wrote a 1964 report[15] criticising the 1961 report. Most copies of the 1964 report were "mysteriously destroyed".[1]: 16  Nigel Ashton, reportedly acting on Pat Hills instructions, ordered Mr. Fraser's report to be "pulped". The report was described as "political dynamite".[16] Pat Hills said he had not ordered the "pulping" of the report. Pat Morton, the Minister for Local Government and Highways, said he had not heard of Rod Fraser's report and would make inquiries.[17] The "Civic Roundsman" author in the Daily Telegraph wrote they had "one of the few, if not the only" copy of the printed report.[16]

The report had a note of enthusiasm which "bordered on salesmanship", according to Rod Fraser.[18]

Sydney Area Transportation Study (1971)

In 1974, the State Planning Authority published Sydney Area Transportation Study (SATS) which proposed a comprehensive expressway and rail system to ease congestion in Sydney.[19]

This study proposed a number of road and expressway proposals.

Historical proposals

"East-west" expressway

The 1961 De Leuw Cather (DLC) Geometric Design Study[12] reproduced the system of future expressways "as first proposed by the Department of Main Roads in 1948",[12]: vii, 13  but also proposed a new "east-west" route similar to the 1974 Midwestern Expressway.[19]: II - 22 (PDF 87) 

The DLC study recommended a revised expressway network in addition to the Department of Main Roads plans, including an "east-west expressway".[12]: vii 

The additional 19 miles of expressway in this report - a southern connection between the Warringah Expressway near St. Leonards, and the Southern Expressway near Mascot, and the direct link between the Western Expressway at Haberfield and the Eastern Suburbs Expressway at Paddington) - were new. The Cumberland County Council estimated these plans for an additional 19 miles would "alienate 1,000 acres of land" and displace around 20,000 people.[20]

The revised system included an interchange at the approximate site of the Rozelle Interchange, and an interchange at the approximate location of Enmore Road / Stanmore Road / Edgeware Road. The unbuilt east-west expressway was proposed from approximately Victoria Road at Darling Street, intersecting with the Western Expressway west of Haberfield (approximately at the present day Wattle Street Offramp of the M4), through the new interchange (approximately Enmore Road / Stanmore road / Edgeware Road), intersecting the Southern Expressway east of the current Sydney Park Road and Euston Road intersection, crossing the Green Square station intersection, crossing the intersection at Alison Road and Anzac Parade (the location of the proposed continuous-flow intersection in the ultimate concept design of the Alexandria to Moore Park Project), and approximately following Lang Road terminating at Syd Einfield Drive.[12]: Plate 16 [a]

In 1965 the UNSW Professor of Highway Engineering D.F. Orchard wrote an article and reproduced an image of the proposed "east-west expressway". He claimed after the Western Distributor and Eastern Suburbs Railway was constructed, an "east-west bypass to the south of the city is important". While he stated "Traffic is self-adjusting and will not in a city the size of Sydney "grind to a halt" as is often popularly stated", and that a "slight improvement only encourages more people to try to get down the traffic routes", he claimed the only effective "cure" was to construct new roads to increase road capacity "to a level at which even the increased usage thereby encouraged will not cause saturation". He claimed one of the major objects of town planning is to distribute land use so that no single road (or intersection) is likely to have to carry "an excessive amount of traffic". It also criticised opposition to One-way pair roads.[21]

Midwestern Highway

SATS recommended the development of the Midwestern Highway, described as a "major artery" including a segment from Alexandria to Anzac Parade. It was to connect from the Johnston's Creek Route to Anzac Parade with 4 through lanes of expressway standard. It was suggested this section be implemented from 1991 to 2000. Roads recommended in the general location for this route included Erskineville Road, Swanson, Copeland, Fountain, McEvoy and Lachlan Streets and Dacey Avenue.[19]: II - 22 (PDF 87) 

A 1977 paper by D. Chesterman & M.B Colson detailed alternate expressway and arterial routes, including a possible alignment along the Midwestern Highway route in some options.[22]: 3 (PDF 4) [b]

The Johnston's Creek to Kensington section of the highway was to be 2.99 miles in length and estimated to cost $23.9 million between 1991 and 2000.[19]: I - 39 (PDF 54) 

It was planned to intersect with the Southern Freeway (Expressway).[19]: II - 10 (PDF 75) 

In 1987, Laurie Brereton announced the Department of Main Roads abandoned a number of proposed freeways, link roads and road widenings. This included the abandoning of land which this highway would have required. The planning scheme reservation between the junction of King St and Church St and junction of Erskineville Rd and Union St was abandoned, along with the planning scheme reservation west of the railway line, and the re-alignment scheme on Erskineville Rd between King St and the railway (Newtown County Road). The planning scheme reservation between Anzac Parade and Oxford St via Martin Rd and Lang Rd was also abandoned (Moore Park County Road).[24]

Johnstons Creek Route

The Johnstons Creek route is an unbuilt arterial route proposal from mascot and Annandale, which follows Johnstons Creek along part of the alignment. There is "precious little literature" on the route proposals.[25] The WestConnex plans for the widened Campbell Street bridge over the canal to Alexandria used part of the Johnstons Creek Route corridor.[26]

The DMR) (the predecessor to the Roads & Traffic Authority) had been purchasing properties along the corridor, where a reservation had existed since 1945.[27] In the 1970's, the Department of Main Roads had started knocking down buildings with the intention to widen Erskineville Road.[28]: 5  Green Bans Park was eventually built on the site on one empty lot.[28]: 5 

In 1981, Mr Whelan announced four proposals for a second harbour crossing. An "arterial route from Darling Harbour to Rozelle with a new bridge at Glebe Island" and the "Johnstons Creek County Road" were described as associated roadworks.[29] The Darling Harbour to Rozelle crossing was known as the Glebe Island Arterial[30] and later named Anzac Bridge.

In 1987, Laurie Brereton announced the Department of Main Roads abandoned a number of proposed freeways, link roads and road widenings. This included the abandoning of the "Johnstons Creek route" planning scheme reservation between The Crescent, Rozelle and Parramatta Road, Annandale.[24]

In 2004 and 2005 residents and groups including EcoTransit stopped an extension to the F6 (which they named the "Johnston's Creek Extension") which would have run from Anzac Bridge, through Newtown to Randwick. Michelle Zeibots launched a campaign and distributed 100,000 newsletters, though route plans were not public. Mary Jane Gleeson located one email exchange between members of the Roads & Traffic Authority referring to construction.[27][31]

As of 2005, constructed segments included part of Bourke Road (Mascot), between O’Riordan Street and Coward Street (1988) and between Coward Street and Gardeners Road (1999).[25]

Subsequently, most of the Johnstons Creek Route corridor was removed in March 2006, but not all of it.[26]: 13 

The Inner West Bypass (or Inner-West Motorway[32]) proposal roughly followed the route of the "Johnston's Creek Extension Road".[33]

The Beaches Link was a proposed underground motorway scheme in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was proposed to consist of a series of motorway tunnels running north-south between Burnt Bridge Creek Deviation at Balgowlah and the Warringah Freeway at Cammeray, providing direct access from the Northern Beaches to the Sydney central business district.

Notes

  1. ↑ Map titled "Revised Study Network".[12]: Plate 16 
  2. ↑ These authors also authored a May 1976 report detailing alternatives[23][22]: 14 (PDF 15) 

References

  1. 1 2 David Ball (February 1996). "The Road to Nowhere? Urban Freeway Planning in Sydney to 1977 and in the Present Day (Urban Research Program Working Paper No.51)". Archived from the original on 2 March 2026.
  2. 1 2 Catherine King; Jenny Aitchison (5 September 2025). "The magnificent seven: Plan for widening of the seven key road arteries in Sydney's expanding south west revealed". minister.infrastructure.gov.au (Press release). Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
  3. ↑ "Outer Sydney Orbital Stage 1 corridor investigation". Transport for NSW. 22 March 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "Outer Sydney Orbital Stage 2". Transport for NSW. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "The Northern Road Upgrade". Major Projects. June 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  6. ↑ "M6 Stage 1 Web Portal". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  7. ↑ "About the project - Warringah Freeway Upgrade". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  8. 1 2 Catherine King (23 February 2026). "Major construction begins on $720 million Richmond Road upgrade" (Press release). Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
  9. ↑ Kym Norley (January 2011). "Urban rail infrastructure - The path from comprehensive transport plans to the recent experience".
  10. ↑ Robert Freestone (2004). "The Americanization of Australian Planning". Journal of Planning History. 3 (3): 187–214. doi:10.1177/1538513204267083.
  11. ↑ De Leuw Cather (December 1960). Report on Sydney Area Origin-Destination Survey. San Francisco.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 De Leuw Cather (August 1961). Report on Geometric Design Study: Sydney Area Expressways. San Francisco.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. ↑ E. R. Jefferay (1963). PLANNING AND DESIGN OF URBAN EXPRESSWAYS IN N.S.W. WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND (Report). Department of Main Roads.
  14. ↑ Robert Gibbons (March 1978). "TRANSPORT ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNING IN SYDNEY Co-ordinative Influences in a Multi-Organisational Policy Field" (PDF). University of Sydney.
  15. ↑ Rod Fraser (1964). Examination of Aspects of Metropolitan Planning Significance in the De Leuw Cather Company's Report on Geometric Design Study. Sydney Urban Expressways (Report). Sydney: Cumberland County Council.
  16. 1 2 Civic Roundsman (13 March 1966). "$400,000 TRAFFIC PLAN SCANDAL" (PDF). Sydney: Sunday Telegraph. p. 4.; Civic Roundsman (13 March 1966). "$400,000 TRAFFIC PLAN SCANDAL". Sydney: Sunday Telegraph. p. 4.
  17. ↑ "Hills' denial on traffic report" (PDF). Sydney: Daily Telegraph. 14 March 1966.; "Hills' denial on traffic report". Sydney: Daily Telegraph. 14 March 1966.
  18. ↑ "Council Criticises Road Plan". Sydney Morning Herald. 5 July 1963.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Sydney Area Transportation Study - Volume 3 - Passenger Transport Systems. 1974. Archived from the original on 26 April 2024.
  20. ↑ Staff Correspondant (17 July 1963). "£133 Million Expressway Proposal Under Fire". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  21. ↑ D.F. Orchard (Professor of Highway Engineering, UNSW) (22 June 1965). "The Great Traffic Snarl - Attack on Priorities Needed" (PDF). The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 2 – via State Library of New South Wales.
    Note: SMH Archive image cuts off article text - viewing the full newspaper page is necessary. D.F. Orchard (Professor of Highway Engineering, UNSW) (22 June 1965). "The Great Traffic Snarl - Attack on Priorities Needed". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 2.
  22. 1 2 D. Chesterman; M.B Colson (1977). THE IMPLICATIONS OF REDUCING DESIGN STANDARDS FOR PROPOSED EXPRESSWAYS (PDF) (Report). Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 February 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  23. ↑ Jackson Teece Chesterman Willis Pty Ltd; Sinclair Knight & Partners (May 1976). Sydney's Western and Northwestern Freeways, A Study of Alternatives - A Report to the Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development (Report).
  24. 1 2 Mark Coultan (1 October 1987). "DMR lets 1,700 homes off hook". The Sunday Morning Herald. p. 3.
  25. 1 2 "Johnstons Creek Route". Ozroads. 2005. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  26. 1 2 Mathew Hounsell (31 August 2018). "Submission to Public Accountability Committee Inquiry – 'Impact of the WestConnex project' (Submission 426)" (PDF). Parliament of NSW.
  27. 1 2 lhod5505 (24 September 2015). "Johnston's Creek Extension: hope for residents". University of Sydney. Archived from the original on 17 October 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. 1 2 Jim Piotrowski (21 June 2023). "CITY OF SYDNEY ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM OUR CITY TRANSCRIPT" (PDF) (Interview). Interviewed by Sue Andersen. City of Sydney. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 April 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  29. ↑ John Malley (7 December 1981). "Under or over the Harbour: a choice". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 3.
  30. ↑ "Glebe Island Arterial - Environmental impact statement (EIS 406)" (PDF). Department of Main Roads. August 1985.
  31. ↑ Lucy Hodgkinson-Fisher (26 February 2016). "Johnston's Creek Extension: Hope for Residents". YouTube. "The Johnston's Creek Extension: Hope for Residents". History Beyond the Classroom. 4 January 2016.
  32. ↑ "Unknown Title". The Daily Telegraph. 28 February 2007. A new four-lane road along the F6 corridor from Marsh Street to Campbell Street. Connections via a new road south of Campbell Street to Gardeners Road at Bourke Road.
  33. ↑ Andrew West (16 January 2010). "Labyrinth threatens to eat city". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Andrew West (16 January 2010). "Labyrinth threatens to eat city". RedWatch.org.au. The Sydney Morning Herald.
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