The Western Distributor Network

We are currently seeking feedback on the relocation of a bus stop on Harris Street, servicing routes 389, 501 and the 740 school bus.

We invite you to provide feedback on the proposed Harris Street bus stop relocation via our Have your say website.

Your feedback is paramount in helping us to understand what is important to you and your community. Submissions close at midnight, Sunday 5 November 2023.

View the latest project notification here. (PDF, 493.87 KB)

Transport has prepared a Submissions Report responding to all feedback received on the Review of Environmental Factors for the Western Distributor Network Improvements project.

Visit https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/western-distributor-road-network-improvements to view the Submissions Report and learn more about the project.

Work is now occurring for the Smart Motorways project.

Click here to find out more, visit our online map, and contact us.

Additional information will be provided to the community about the work, however, please subscribe to updates so we can keep you up to date.

The Western Distributor Road Network Improvements project will improve safety and efficiency at key traffic bottle necks, or pinch points on the Western Distributor and reduce the flow on effect of incidents on surrounding roads.

Why are improvements needed?

The Western Distributor is currently operating at capacity and experiencing heavy congestion, particularly during the weekday morning peak.

The introduction of Smart Motorway technologies and other upgrades to the Western Distributor will assist the growing number of road users to navigate through the road network more efficiently. These enhancements will also play a vital role in reducing the flow on effect of incidents on nearby roads.

Key features

• modifying the intersection at Allen Street and Harris Street to provide three lanes northbound towards Harris Street, and removing a pedestrian crossing
• enhancing visitor experience and refurbishing the two Anzac digger sculptures on the Anzac Bridge
• modifying the Pyrmont Bridge Road and Bank Street intersection, removing turning movements onto Bank Street from the eastbound Pyrmont Bridge Road off-ramp and changing the off-ramp from one lane to two lanes      
• constructing a new on-ramp connection to the Western Distributor from Fig Street, Pyrmont, (subject to a future investment decision)

Benefits

• improve traffic flow at the intersections of Allen Street and Harris Street, Pyrmont Bridge Road and Bank Street, and reduce queuing on the Allen Street and Pyrmont Bridge Road off-ramps
• preserve and refurbish the Anzac digger memorial sculptures
• improve connectivity between the Anzac statues and other memorials in the area
• improve reliability at road network pinch points
• reduce crash incidents where multiple lanes merge
• improve safety and smoother travelling for motorists (less stop-start driving and reduced need for motorists to cross multiple lanes)   

Submissions Report

The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) was on display from Wednesday 21 September to Friday 28 October 2022.

During the five-week public consultation period, Transport hosted 11 community information sessions in the local community.

The project team received 264 submissions from the community during the public display period. The submissions were considered by the project team and responded to in the Submissions Report (PDF, 37.05 MB).

Visit Western Distributor Road Network Improvements to learn more about the project.

What is a Smart Motorway?

A Smart Motorway uses real-time information, communication and traffic control systems in and alongside the road to improve traffic flow. Variable electronic road signs and messages communicate to drivers how to best travel along the motorway for a safer, more consistent journey with less congestion. 

About the project

As part of the Western Distributor Smart Motorway project, up to 19 gantries and signs will be upgraded or installed along the Western Distributor between Sydney Harbour Bridge and Anzac Bridge.

These gantries will provide integrated electronic speed and lane use signs, automatic incident and vehicle detection, and CCTV coverage, with variable message signs. Together, these smart technologies along the corridor will provide an improved and smoother driving experience for motorway users.

Benefits

The Western Distributor Smart Motorway project will:

• assist with congestion by using real time speed management to even out traffic flow on the Western Distributor, resulting in less stop-start driving and more reliable travel times
• provide faster incident response times using automatic incident identification technology and, when necessary, allow vehicles to continue to move around incidents using dynamic electronic lane use signage (already in operation on the Sydney Harbour Bridge)  
• provide better wayfinding and an improved and smoother driving experience for motorway users.  

When will construction begin?

Work is starting in August to turn the Western Distributor into a Smart Motorway. This work is important to improve safety on one of Sydney’s busiest motorways. Installing the new infrastructure will be noisy and disruptive at times and we’ll do our best to limit these impacts. While much of the work will be on the Western Distributor, there will be times we will also need to work on local roads.

• October 2023 – Western Distributor Network Improvements – Harris Street bus stop relocation – Have Your Say – Project notification (PDF, 493.87 KB) 
• August 2023 – Western Distributor Network Improvements – REF Determination - Community Notification (PDF, 2.14 MB)
• August 2023 – Western Distributor Network Improvements – Submissions Report (PDF, 2.5 MB)
• August 2022 – Western Distributor Network Improvements – Review of Environmental Factors (REF)
• August 2022 – Western Distributor Network Improvements – REF Appendix C: Arboricultural Assessment
• August 2022 – Western Distributor Network Improvements – REF Appendix D: Non-Aboriginal Statement of Heritage Impact

• September 2023 - Western Distributor Smart Motorway Review of Environmental Factors consistency review (PDF, 478.91 KB)
• June 2023 - Western Distributor Smart Motorway Investigations (PDF, 929.7 KB)
• June 2023 - Smart Motorway Addendum REF No 4 Glebe Island Bridge compound (PDF, 2.42 MB)
• April 2023 - Smart Motorway Addendum REF No 2 (PDF, 172.34 MB)
• February 2023 - Review of Environmental Factors 3 Colebee ancillary facility (PDF, 9.46 MB)
• December 2022 - Smart Motorway Addendum REF 01 White Bay compounds (PDF, 3.28 MB)
• December 2022 - Smart Motorway Addendum Ref 01 White Bay compounds Appendices E to H (PDF, 6.59 MB)
• May 2021 Review of Environmental Factors Report (PDF, 17.84 MB)
• Appendix D - Traffic transport report (PDF, 8.8 MB)
• Appendix E - Land Landscape character visual impact assessment (PDF, 90.52 MB)
• Appendix F - Statement of heritage impact (PDF, 11.96 MB)
• Appendix D - Construction noise assessment (PDF, 28.25 MB)
• Appendix H - Biodiversity research results (PDF, 11.9 MB)