The announcement comes ahead of a looming federal election and follows a campaign by Liverpool Council, which called on the state government to stop paying $300 million in seat upgrades at Penrith Stadium in favour of the new road.
More than 22,000 vehicles per day currently use the busy road, with congestion expected to worsen amid a projected increase of 63,000 people living in the areas around the road by 2041.
“I have been advocating for an upgrade of 15th Avenue for more than 15 years from the time that Austral Housing developments were approved by Liverpool Council and the NSW government,” member for Werriwa Anne Stanley says.
“Now with the opening of the Western Sydney Airport less than 2 years away, it has taken a Federal and State Labor Government working together to deliver the much needed upgrade.
“More than 10 years of Liberal governments did not recognise how important this upgrade was, and it has meant that residents have been putting up with long delays in traffic jams because development has far outstripped the road network upgrades.”
Fifteenth Avenue will connect the new Bradfield city centre, the new Metro, and the airport, enabling multi-modal travel including fast and easy public transport along the route.
It will also unlock jobs and housing in key growth areas and provide better access to education and opportunities for Sydney’s growing west.
The Australian and NSW governments are each committing $500 million to this project.
“My Government wants Western Sydney to be a gateway to the rest of the world,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says.
“We want it to thrive as the engine room for jobs, economic growth and opportunity.
“This half a billion dollars’ worth of new funding from the Australian Government is part of our commitment to delivering more resilient infrastructure for all Australians.”
NSW premier Chris Minns says the investment is a ‘game changer’ for Western Sydney that will connect thousands of jobs at Western Sydney Airport and the Aerotropolis with Liverpool.
“We promised to deliver fifteenth avenue and I’m very proud that together with the Albanese Federal Government – we are delivering this project,” Minns says.
“The Aerotropolis has the opportunity to transform Western Sydney and this road link is critical to delivering the jobs of the future in Australia’s fastest growing region.
“Without this critical road we couldn’t deliver the growth and jobs the Aerotropolis has the potential to deliver.”
The NSW Government earlier committed to a rapid bus connection between the Airport, the new Aerotropolis and Liverpool’s CBD in time for the airport’s opening in 2026.
The FAST Corridor will help reduce sprawl, improve public transport, and preserve the unique character of the region and will include a four-lane urban road, new streetscape, including footpaths, cycleways, bus bays, signage and line marking as well as street lighting.
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