Official ribbon cutting ceremony of the new M12 Motorway by Premier Chris Minns, Deputy Premier Prue Car, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King, and Minister for Roads and Regional Development Jenny Aitchison.
Western Sydney has taken a major step forward with the opening of the M12 Motorway, a new high‑capacity transport corridor providing a direct link to Western Sydney International (Nancy‑Bird Walton) Airport.
The motorway opened to traffic in the early hours of Saturday 14 March 2026, marking a significant milestone in the region’s transformation and supporting the next phase of development around the new airport, which is expected to commence cargo and passenger operations later this year.
The opening follows an official ribbon‑cutting ceremony attended by Premier Chris Minns, Deputy Premier Prue Car, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King, and NSW Minister for Roads and Regional Development Jenny Aitchison, alongside representatives from the project team.
The ceremony recognised the scale of collaboration and expertise required to deliver one of Western Sydney’s most important new transport links.
“Seeing the M12 open to traffic is a proud moment for everyone involved,” said Scott Calleja, Project Director.
“The infrastructure delivered will play a vital role in supporting Western Sydney’s growth and connecting communities to the new airport.”
Left to right: Jennifer Gatt (Seymour Whyte), Dean Soma (Transport for NSW), David Duffield (Transport for NSW), Kananathan Sangarappillai (Transport for NSW), Sophie Worthing (Transport for NSW), Scott Calleja (Seymour Whyte), Greg Jackson (Transport for NSW), Easwaran Veeragathipillai (Transport for NSW), Kingsley Kirupal (Transport for NSW), Frank Callanan (Seymour Whyte), Georgia Voura (Seymour Whyte)
Delivering the central section
The 16‑kilometre M12 Motorway was delivered in three construction sections, with Seymour Whyte responsible for the 7.5‑kilometre central portion of the project.
Spanning from west of South Creek to Duff Road at Cecil Hills, this dual‑carriageway section forms a critical link within the motorway corridor, connecting Western Sydney communities to the future airport precinct and Sydney’s broader motorway network.
Seymour Whyte self‑performed key elements of the works, including earthworks, bridge construction and rigid concrete paving. This approach supported strong outcomes across safety, quality and program delivery while showcasing the company’s in‑house capability to deliver complex transport infrastructure.
The scope included the construction of 11 bridges, extensive bulk earthworks, intelligent transport systems, cycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and landscaped green areas. Urban design played an important role, with bridge aesthetics, landscape treatments and green corridors integrated throughout the alignment to create a visually cohesive corridor that responds sensitively to its surrounding environment.
“The completion of the M12 Central package is a testament to the capability and commitment of our people,” said Pat McCormack, General Manager Central Region (NSW and ACT).
“We’re proud to have contributed to infrastructure that will support Western Sydney’s growth for decades to come.”
Left to right: Georgia Voura, Jennifer Gatt, Scott Calleja and Frank Callanan, representing Seymour Whyte.
Supporting growth and economic opportunity
The M12 Motorway is expected to play a pivotal role in unlocking economic opportunities across Western Sydney by improving access to the new airport, supporting freight movements, and connecting communities to jobs and services.
The motorway increases road capacity, reduces congestion and improves travel time reliability for motorists and freight operators travelling through one of Australia’s fastest‑growing regions. A shared user path with lighting also provides an active transport connection along the corridor and eastward to the M7, improving accessibility for local communities.
As traffic begins to flow, the M12 stands as a symbol of collaboration across government, industry and delivery partners – and a critical piece of infrastructure supporting the future of Western Sydney.
With forecasts estimating around 52,000 vehicles per day by 2036, the corridor has been designed to support long‑term growth, including a wide median to allow for future widening to six lanes.
Fast facts
- 5 kilometres of dual‑carriageway motorway delivered by Seymour Whyte
- 11 bridges constructed
- 177 bridge piles installed
- 252 bridge girders placed
- 6 million tonnes of bulk earthworks
- 1,000,000 cubic metres of earthworks (cut‑to‑fill and cut‑to‑spoil)
- 12 trainees involved in project delivery
About the project
The M12 Motorway is an integral part of the $4.4 billion Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan, delivering significant travel time reductions and improved reliability for road users and freight operators by providing a high-standard connection to Western Sydney International Airport and Sydney’s motorway network.
The motorway has been designed to support future growth in Western Sydney. The dual carriageway includes a wide median allowing for potential widening to six lanes in the future, along with safety barriers, emergency stopping bays and emergency crossovers at regular intervals.
Sustainability was also a key focus of the project, with the project receiving an ‘Excellent’ Infrastructure Sustainability rating from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council through initiatives such as:
- Reusing and recycling 95% of excavated materials
- Using 40% recycled aggregates in the sub-base layers
- Minimising water use during construction.
The M12 Central package included the construction of:
- Twin bridges over South Creek
- A bridge for Clifton Avenue over the M12 Motorway
- Twin bridges over Kemps Creek
- Twin bridges over Elizabeth Drive near Mamre Road
- Twin bridges over Range Road
- A bridge for the Water Tower Access Road over the M12 Motorway
- A private property access bridge within University of Sydney land
Retaining walls near Range Road to minimise local impacts and adjustments to surrounding roads, including Clifton Avenue and Salisbury Road.
