Roadwork will take place on the M4 over the next three weeks as work begins to remove toll booths on the motorway.
Motorists on the M4 will no longer pay a toll when the road is handed back to the NSW government at midnight on February 15.
Roadwork is required to realign lanes and remove linemarking. A 40kmh limit will be in place near the Auburn toll booths 24 hours a day for three weeks following the tolls removal. The RTA will start work to realign the toll plaza and provide three lanes eastbound and four lanes westbound.
The M4 will be closed to traffic in both directions on February 16 between Church Street, Parramatta and Silverwater Road, Silverwater from 12.01am to 5am. This is to ensure the safety of road users and RTA staff doing the work. These changes are planned to be implemented within three weeks to minimise traffic impacts.
Motorists are urged to drive safely and stick to the speed limit as there will be traffic control on site at the toll booths until all work is completed.
It is expected there will be closures at night for four nights as lanes and line marking are changed. Once the work is finished the speed limit at the toll plaza will become 70kmh. Work will then continue at night over the following months to remove the entire toll plaza.
As with any major changes in road conditions we do expect some congestion when the toll is removed but we expect this to settle down over time. The RTA will continue to monitor the situation.
Studies show the M4 provides a faster trip than the alternative routes throughout its entire length, even in peak periods as the M4 eliminates 40kms of intersections and 60 sets of traffic lights.
Work on improvements to the M4 and its key interchanges completed ahead of the handover include:
- Changes to Homebush Bay Drive interchange – extension of the double right turn westbound to M4
- Changes to James Ruse Drive interchange – work included an extra right turn lane from the M4 westbound exit ramp to James Ruse Drive northbound and an extra through lane northbound in James Ruse Drive.
- Removal of the eastbound T2 lane on the M4 from Cumberland Highway, South Wentworthville to Church Street, Parramatta
- Installation of permanent electronic message signs and other traffic management devices.
From 12.01am to 5am
- The M4 will be closed to traffic in both directions between Church Street, Parramatta and Silverwater Road, Silverwater from 12.01am to 5am. This is to ensure the safety of road users and RTA staff undertaking the road works associated with the handover.
- M4 traffic will divert a short distance via Parramatta Road. Westbound motorists will divert via Silverwater Road and rejoin the
- M4 at Church Street. Eastbound motorists will divert via Church Street and rejoin the M4 at Silverwater Road.
Parts of the toll plaza areas will be converted to construction zones for up to three weeks.
From 5am
- M4 will reopen to traffic.
- Interim traffic lane arrangements consisting of three lanes eastbound and four lanes westbound will operate through the toll plaza areas.
- A posted speed limit of 40 kmh will apply to all the interim traffic lanes.
- Motorists are asked to follow the signs and observe the directions of traffic controllers.
- These arrangements will operate for around three weeks.
From early March:
- Final traffic lane arrangements consisting of three lanes eastbound and four lanes westbound will operate through the toll plaza areas.
- After road works are completed a posted speed limit of 70 km/h will apply to all traffic lanes.
- Motorists are asked to continue following the signs, including reduced speed limits, and to observe the directions of traffic controllers.
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