Moorebank Intermodal Terminal road connections upgrade
The 2019 Australian Infrastructure Audit identified the M5 corridor – the key corridor linking the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal (MIT) and Port Botany – as highly economically significant. The daily cost of congestion along the corridor is projected to be the 2nd highest of any corridor in New South Wales in 2031, even after accounting for the duplication of the M5 East as part of WestConnex.
The development of the MIT presents an opportunity to moderate growth in freight traffic on the M5 corridor. However, it will generate additional freight traffic in the vicinity of the terminal. The current road network provides a single point of access to the freight precinct. This constraint could create significant ‘last mile’ congestion, affecting the efficiency of freight movements, and ultimately the effectiveness of the MIT itself.
The broader road network surrounding the MIT is currently highly congested, particularly sections of the M5, which has a poor safety record due to significant ‘weaving’ conflicts (where vehicles are weaving in and out of lanes to join or depart the motorway).
The proposal proposes a package of interrelated road infrastructure improvements to increase network efficiency and improve access to the MIT. The major components include:
- upgrades to the M5 interchanges at the Hume Highway and Moorebank Avenue to improve safety and capacity.
- duplication and extension of Cambridge Avenue from Moorebank Avenue westward to the Hume Motorway (M31) to improve access and capacity.
Proponent to identify and analyse potential investment options (Stage 2 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework).
Refer to Infrastructure Glossary for terms and definitions.