Two of Sydney's major motorways have been linked, and, from tomorrow, drivers will be able to access 7.5 kilometres of new tunnels as the massive WestConnex project nears completion.
From 3am Friday, tunnels linking the M4 in Haberfield to the M8 in St Peters will officially open, more than three years after construction began.
The $3.2 billion link is estimated to take tens of thousands vehicles off Parramatta Road each day and allow drivers to skip around 50 traffic lights between Western Sydney and Mascot.
Cars will pay $5.65 to use the new twin tunnels, while heavy vehicles will be charged $16.95.
A toll cap means the most cars will pay is $11.11 after around 16km of driving on WestConnex. That cap is $33.32 for heavy vehicles.
WestConnex — the biggest road infrastructure project in the nation — is now in its final stages with only the Rozelle Interchange and Sydney Gateway link at the airport still under construction.
The Rozelle interchange is expected to be completed by the end of this year and Sydney Gateway is slated for a 2025 finish.
The $16.8 billion motorway project is jointly funded by the state and federal governments and the first of its tunnels, the M4, was opened in 2019.
The linking of the M4 and M8 was finished on budget and ahead of time, Premier Dominic Perrottet said.
"This is transforming our city for our people, Western Sydney are the big winners out of this project opening," he said.
"Could you imagine Parramatta Road today if we did not build the WestConnex? These projects are challenging but they are part of our long term plan to keep our state moving forward."
The Premier has billed WestConnex as a "tourist attraction" and defended criticism of the toll price given the rising cost of living.
"You don't have to use the road, you can use Parramatta Road, everyone is a winner."
The M4 and M8 link has four lanes in both directions, and traffic management systems which are designed to talk to electric and automated vehicles.
Over 100,000 motorists are expected to use the road each day.
In 2021, the NSW government sold its final remaining stake in WestConnex tunnels to a consortium led by Transurban.
Editor's note January 24, 2023: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the NSW government sold its stake in WestConnex to Transurban. It has been updated to reflect the fact it sold its stake in the WestConnex tunnels to a consortium led by Transurban.
