Eastern Distributor Motorway New South Wales |
|
---|---|
Tunnel entrance at Woolloomooloo | |
Type | Motorway |
Length | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
Opened | 19 December 1999 (Completed in July 2000) |
Route number(s) |
|
Former route number |
|
North end |
Cahill Expressway Woollomooloo, Sydney |
William Street Anzac Parade Cross City Tunnel |
|
South end |
Southern Cross Drive Kensington, Sydney |
Highways in Australia National Highway • Freeways in Australia Highways in New South Wales |
The Eastern Distributor is a 6-kilometre (4 mi) long motorway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia which is 75.1% owned by toll road operator Transurban. Part of the M1, it links the Sydney central business district (CBD) with the Airport. The centre-piece is a 1.7 km (1.1 mi) tunnel running from Woolloomooloo to Surry Hills.
The motorway is tolled in one direction (northbound) with the toll plazas at Woolloomooloo and at the William Street exit. As of January 2016, the toll for cars/motorbikes is $6.68 and $13.36 (including GST) for other vehicles. The toll will be removed in 2048 when the contract held by Airport Motorway Limited (AML) expires.
This motorway is part of the 110-kilometre (68 mi) Sydney Orbital Network. For about half its length, it is in a trench inside South Dowling Street. The motorway provides a southbound exit for Lachlan Street/Dacey Avenue, a northbound exit for Cleveland Street, northbound entrance ramp from Cleveland Street and connections to William Street. There are also connection to the Cross City Tunnel, giving motorists direct connections under the city to the Western Distributor. There are also northbound/southbound entry/exits to Moore Park Road and Anzac Parade. Southbound motorists were later found to be entering the Eastern Distributor from the Cross City Tunnel access point and immediately attempting to cross three lanes for the Anzac Parade off-ramp. Permanent traffic obstacles are now in place to prevent this and users are now referred to the Lachlan Street/Dacey Avenue exit instead.
The need for an Eastern Distributor was first talked about in 1951. It was not until the election of the state Labor government in 1995, led by premier Bob Carr that the project was initiated.