The M12 Motorway, initially known as Western Sydney Airport Motorway, is a toll-free east-west motorway in Sydney, Australia, linking the Westlink M7 motorway and The Northern Road, as part of the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan. The four-lane motorway is long and was built at a cost of $1.75billion (with both state and federal funding). It is aimed at providing direct access from the M7 Westlink motorway to the new Western Sydney International Airport situated at Badgerys Creek.
The motorway began construction in August 2022 and opened on 14 March 2026, months prior to the Western Sydney Airport opening in late 2026. However, the M7âÂÂM12 interchange will open later in the year.
The M12 Motorway runs between the Westlink M7 motorway and The Northern Road, including an exit to the access road towards the Western Sydney International Airport. The motorway has four lanes, with provision to be widened to 6 lanes. It is also toll-free.
Elizabeth Drive is a two lane, single carriageway road linking the Hume Highway at Liverpool, with The Northern Road at Luddenham. Prior to the proposal to build the M12, Elizabeth Drive was one of several key thoroughfares in Western Sydney. The M12 motorway was constructed north of Elizabeth Drive and parallel to it.
On 15 April 2014, the federal government announced Badgerys Creek to be the site of Sydney's second airport, later known as the Western Sydney International Airport. To support infrastructure to the new airport, a joint federal-state road investment program known as Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan was also announced, which included a motorway linking the Westlink M7 motorway and The Northern Road to the new airport.
On 17 June 2014, as part of the State Budget, the NSW Government announced a $5.5 billion road package for Western Sydney. It included $6 million for planning the Western Sydney Airport motorway. The Budget was also the first time the name of the motorway was referred to. However, government media and press releases later simply referred to it as M12 Motorway.
The project was granted planning approval in April 2021.
Prior to the start of construction, it was planned that major construction would commence in 2022 with expected completion prior to the Western Sydney Airport opening in 2026.
The construction of the motorway was split into three sections. In June 2020, the companies shortlisted to build two of the three sections (central and west sections) were announced:
In May 2022, Seymour Whyte and CPB Georgiou Group joint venture were announced as the contractors for the central and west sections respectively. Construction began in August 2022 on the west and central sections.
The third section (east section) consisted of an interchange with the M7 motorway. It was to be constructed together with the M7 motorway widening and the connection to Elizabeth Drive, known collectively as the M7âÂÂM12 Integration project. In December 2022, John Holland Group was announced as the contractor to design and construct the integration project. Construction began in August to October the following year.
The west and central sections, as well as the connection to Elizabeth Drive in the east section, opened on 14 March 2026. The M7âÂÂM12 interchange will open slightly later in mid-2026.