M12 Motorway (Sydney)

M12 Motorway

New South Wales
The M12 Motorway March 2026
General information
TypeMotorway
Length15 km (9.3 mi)
Opened14 March 2026
Route number(s) M12
Major junctions
East end
West end
Location(s)
Major suburbs / townsCecil Park, Cecil Hills, Mount Vernon, Kemps Creek, Badgerys Creek, Luddenham
Highway system

The M12 Motorway is a toll-free east-west motorway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, linking the Westlink M7 motorway and The Northern Road, as part of the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan. The four-lane motorway is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) long and was built at a cost of $1.75 billion (with both state and federal funding). It provides direct access from the M7 Westlink motorway to Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek.

Initially announced as the Western Sydney Airport Motorway in 2014, it later became known simply as M12. The motorway began construction in August 2022. Majority of the motorway opened on 14 March 2026, prior to the Western Sydney Airport opening to cargo in July 2026. The interchange with the M7 opened on 14 June that year.

Alignment

The M12 Motorway runs between the Westlink M7 motorway and The Northern Road, including an exit to the access road towards the Western Sydney Airport. The motorway has four lanes, with provision to be widened to six lanes. It is also toll-free.

M12 Overpass Artwork

Elizabeth Drive

Elizabeth Drive, Luddenham, 2014

Elizabeth Drive is a two lane, single carriageway road linking the Hume Highway at Liverpool, with The Northern Road at Luddenham. Prior to the proposal to build the M12, Elizabeth Drive was one of several key thoroughfares in Western Sydney. The M12 motorway was constructed north of Elizabeth Drive and parallel to it.

History

Planning

On 15 April 2014, the federal government announced Badgerys Creek to be the site of Sydney's second airport. To support infrastructure to the new airport, a joint federal-state road investment program known as Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan was also announced, which included a motorway linking the Westlink M7 motorway and The Northern Road to the new airport.

On 17 June 2014, as part of the State Budget, the NSW Government announced a $5.5 billion road package for Western Sydney. It included $6 million for planning the Western Sydney Airport motorway. The Budget was also the first time the name of the motorway was referred to. However, government media and press releases later simply referred to it as M12 Motorway.

The project was granted planning approval in April 2021.

Construction

Prior to the start of construction, it was planned that major construction would commence in 2022 with expected completion prior to the Western Sydney Airport opening in 2026.

The construction of the motorway was split into three sections. In June 2020, the companies shortlisted to build two of the three sections (central and west sections) were announced:

In May 2022, Seymour Whyte and CPB Georgiou Group joint venture were announced as the contractors for the central and west sections respectively. Construction began in August 2022 on the west and central sections.

The third section (east section) consisted of an interchange with the M7 motorway. It was to be constructed together with the M7 motorway widening and the connection to Elizabeth Drive, known collectively as the M7–M12 Integration project. In December 2022, John Holland Group was announced as the contractor to design and construct the integration project. Construction began in August to October the following year.

Motorway under construction in 2025

The west and central sections, as well as the connection to Elizabeth Drive in the east section, opened on 14 March 2026. The M7–M12 interchange opened on 14 June later that year.

Exits and interchanges

LGALocationkmmiDestinationsNotes
PenrithLuddenham0.00.0 The Northern Road (A9)  – Wallacia, Campbelltown, Penrith, WindsorWestern terminus; at-grade intersection with traffic lights
Badgerys Creek4.52.8Warami Drive, Western Sydney Airport, TO Elizabeth Drive
LiverpoolCecil Hills13.58.4Elizabeth Drive  – Luddenham, Cabramatta, LiverpoolExit only
14.08.7Elizabeth Drive  – Cabramatta, Liverpool
Wallgrove Road  – Horsley Park, Rooty Hill		Westbound entrance from Elizabeth Drive
Southbound entrance from Wallgrove Road
Fairfield–Liverpool boundaryAbbotsbury–Cecil Park–Cecil Hills tripoint14.79.1 Westlink M7 (M7)Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. 1 2 "M12 Motorway" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Badgerys Creek airport: Sydney's bold plan is taking wing". Daily Telegraph. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "M12 Motorway – Community Update October 2019" (PDF). Roads and Maritime Services. NSW Government. October 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  4. ↑ "M12 Motorway Strategic Route Options Analysis - Preferred corridor route report" (PDF). Roads and Maritime Services. November 2016. p. 1 & 7. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  5. ↑ Truss, Warren; Abbott, Tony. "Western Sydney Airport to Deliver Jobs and Infrastructure". Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Delivering the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan". Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Budget Paper 4 – Infrastructure Statement" (PDF). NSW Treasury. 17 June 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Planning approval fast-tracked for new M12 Motorway in Sydney". Paul Fletcher MP – Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts. 29 April 2021. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  9. ↑ "Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan". (Federal) Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  10. ↑ "M12 Motorway". Roads and Maritime Services. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  11. ↑ "M12 Motorway". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  12. ↑ "M12 motorway set for take-off with contractors announced". NSW Government. 5 May 2022. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Community update – Start of work – August 2022 – M12 Motorway" (PDF). Transport for NSW. August 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  14. ↑ O'Sullivan, Matt (20 August 2025). "Opening nears for $2 billion motorway to Sydney's new international airport". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  15. ↑ "John Holland preferred to deliver M7 Widening & M7-M12 Integration Project". John Holland. 22 December 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  16. ↑ "M7 - M12 Integration Project". M7 - M12 Integration Project. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "Western Sydney motorway launch to improve travel times and ease congestion for thousands". news.com.au. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  18. ↑ O'Sullivan, Matt (12 June 2026). "Major spaghetti junction to Sydney's new airport set to open to drivers". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 June 2026.

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