Sydney's Parramatta Rd could be dug open

6 Aug 2012, 7:49 am   -   Source: AAP

Sydney's most congested artery, Parramatta Road, could be dug open to build a motorway underneath, under state infrastructure plans.

Sydney's congested Parramatta Road would be excavated to enable the building of an eight-lane tollway underneath, if the state's infrastructure advisory body has its way.

Infrastructure NSW, which is due to release a 20-year priority list in September, has drawn up plans to alleviate congestion along Sydney's slowest stretch of road, Fairfax Media says.

An industry source has told the newspaper that a "cut and cover" construction method was being considered along Parramatta Road as a cheaper alternative to tunnelling.

But the process would be disruptive and require properties to be acquired along Parramatta Road, which connects the city with the M4 motorway out to the western suburbs.

Infrastructure NSW is tipped to propose three major road projects in a package to transform the Sydney economy.

This would include an M4 East motorway running underneath Parramatta Road to the city and the airport, an M5 East tunnel and another tunnel in Sydney's north linking the F3 freeway with the M2 motorway.

The three projects are expected to cost $15 billion, which Fairfax Media says would make other transport projects less likely.

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