Western Sydney’s ‘Driveway’ to Airport Ready to Open

A major arterial road connecting Australia’s biggest city to its newest airport had been completed.

The M12 Motorway in Sydney’s west is due to open to traffic on Saturday, March 14.

The M12 will act as the “driveway” to the new Western Sydney International Airport, where cargo and passenger flights are scheduled to begin later in 2026, according to the Minns government.

The new road will connect The Northern Road at Luddenham in the west to Elizabeth Drive at Cecil Hills in the east, replicating the route of Elizabeth Drive for its 16km stretch.

The intersection-free M12 will have a 100km/h speed limit, allowing commuters and freight services easier access to the WSIA and Aerotropolis.

The project included the construction of 17 bridges and used 181,933 cubic meters of concrete. More than 1.5 million shrubs were planted, along with 18,500 trees. The final element of works, an interchange between the M12 and M7 at Cecil Hills, has yet to be completed but is on track for a mid-2026 opening.

The $2.1-billion road project has been jointly funded by the state and Commonwealth—$1.63 billion from the latter and and $408 million by the NSW government.

About 25,000 vehicle movements per day will be rerouted from local roads and suburban rat runs to the new road, according to the state.

▲ The final element, due for a mid-2026 completion, is an interchange between the M12 and M7 at Cecil Hills.

About $20 billion has been allocated to western Sydney roads and rail in the most recent terms of the Federal and state governments, with $13.3 billion from the Commonwealth and $7.4 billion from NSW.

Works are under way to improve connectivity between the airport and emerging residential and logistic hubs. Bradfield, which includes precincts such as the 184ha Ingham Lands Badgerys Creek masterplanned estate approved in July 2025, has been touted as Australia’s first new city in a century.

Developers and tenants are already active, with ALDI approved this month for a billion-dollar, 87,000sq m automated distribution facility in the Ingham site. 

In February, civil works at Bradfield reached a milestone, with a third of the city now development-ready. Also in February, works began on a $720-million upgrade to Richmond Road, about 22km to the north of the WSIA.