Federal Member for Banks, David Coleman MP, today called on the community to have its say on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the first WestConnex project to be constructed on the M5 East corridor.
“The start of community consultation on the EIS for the King Georges Road Interchange upgrade is a key milestone for easing congestion on the M5,” Mr Coleman said.
“The EIS shows the interchange upgrade will improve travel times there by up to 49 per cent when WestConnex is completed.
“The 100,000 motorists who use the M5 corridor each day know how essential it is that we begin this project as soon as possible to provide an additional lane in each direction at the interchange. We have fast-tracked this project by 18 months thanks to a $2 billion concessional loan to the NSW Government”.
Mr Coleman said that the WestConnex is a “once-in-a-lifetime” infrastructure project and encouraged residents to have their say on the plan.
The project will include the increased capacity on all ramps, including the eastbound on-ramp and westbound off-ramp between King Georges Road and M5 East, and once the Stage 2 tunnels are open to St Peters, eastbound traffic from King Georges Road won’t need to merge.
Community information sessions on the EIS will be held at Regina Coeli Church Hall, 70 Ponyara Road, Beverly Hills on Saturday 1 November, 9am to 12pm and at Beverly Hills North Public School, 1-3 Shorter Avenue, Beverly Hills on Monday 10 November, 3pm to 7pm.
Formal written submissions on the M5 – King Georges Road Interchange Upgrade EIS can be submitted with project number SSI 14_6547 to the Department of Planning and Environment, GPO Box 39, Sydney NSW 2001 or submitted online at www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au by Friday 21 November 2014.
More information can be found at www.westconnex.com.au.