This proposal involves about a quarter of the Sydney Orbital network, currently used by around 95,000 vehicles per day.  The proposal includes a five kilometre link road from the eastern M5 tunnel exit point to the airport and industrial areas close to the airport. 

The NSW Government has asked the RTA to look at all options in partnership with the community.  Several meetings have already been held with the community and these will continue for at least 18 months during the environmental assessment stage. 

In November 2009, the NSW Government announced a proposal to expand the M5 corridor. The proposal includes:
  * Widening the M5 South West Motorway from two to three lanes in each direction.
  * Widening the M5 East Freeway east of King Georges Road to four lanes in each direction.
  * Providing four new lanes in a tunnel(s) next to the existing the M5 East tunnel.
  * Providing a new four lane arterial road from the M5 East tunnels to Sydney Airport and the industrial areas of inner southern Sydney.
The M5 corridor is the main road freight, commercial and passenger route between Port Botany and Sydney Airport and south west Sydney. It is part of the National Highway Network connecting Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. Improving the M5 corridor is a major focus for the NSW Government due to the motorway’s function as a critical economic driver for NSW and Australia.

In recent years traffic levels and the high number of heavy vehicles on this route mean the corridor is operating at or near capacity in peak hours. This impacts on Sydney’s economic productivity and competitiveness. The situation will be further compounded by planned commercial and industrial growth at Port Botany and Sydney Airport as well as planned population and employment growth along the corridor.
Project information is available on the website www.m5corridorexpansion.com.au