Planned upgrades to Mamre Road will begin next month, Premier Chris Minns has confirmed.
Minns was joined by Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car, Minister for Roads John Graham and Mayor of Penrith Todd Carney to ceremoniously turn the soil at the site of Access Logistics industrial development on Mamre Road.
The State Government has committed a $290 million investment into the Mamre Precinct, and it will see a 3.8 kilometre stretch of road between Erskine Park Road and the M4 Motorway widened into a four-lane thoroughfare.
Minns was proud that the upgrades will form an essential aspect of the growth western Sydney.
“One of the great things about today’s announcement is it links together a major logistic and transport development, so great jobs for western Sydney with billions of dollars of investment for new infrastructure, particularly roads,” Minns said.
“If you look at Mamre Road, an investment of $290 million, if you think about this road as a single land road for a long period of time, notwithstanding the fact that right around it there was development and homes and more people moving in, the single lane was in no way going to cope with the projected growth and infrastructure that we want to build in this part of the state.
“So, the Government is proud, as part of Mamre Road Stage 1, to invest $290 million.”
Carney said that Penrith will continue to grow and needs the infrastructure to support it.
“This just shows you the importance of ventures like this. How we can bring jobs to western Sydney,” Carney said.
“Penrith Council has always had a vision of providing housing but also jobs that go with those houses and [it’s important] to us to ensure that this work continues to happen within this corridor.
“Penrith has 37 per cent of the remaining employment lands in the Sydney basin so it’s important that people come on board [and] come down to Penrith because we are looking for your business.”
Car reflected that the impact of these upgrades on the Penrith community cannot be understated.
“In the west of Sydney, we have experienced exponential growth in the past 10 to 20 years but as we know for those of us that have lived it was exponential housing growth without the investment in the necessary infrastructure and employment opportunities for the people that were building homes,” Car said.
“Because young people need employment opportunities to stay and work and be able to live and recreate and enjoy their own local communities.
“Too many people in western Sydney have to get on toll roads to travel east in order to get employment to pay for their mortgages [and] to feed their families.
“This is about turning this around; it’s about making sure that we have the infrastructure leading to the employment so we can realise the once in a lifetime opportunity of the WSIA.”
Construction company Seymour White has been selected to deliver the upgrades which will include the construction of two bridge-sized culverts to improve drainage, upgraded intersections to improve safety and travel times, and a new shared path for cyclists and pedestrians.
A further $500 million was committed by the State Government in the May budget to progress Stage 2 of the project between Erskine Park Road and Kerrs Road in Kemps Creek.
Stage 1 works are expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Emily Chate
Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist.