Length:

29 km

Termini:

Eastern: General Holmes Dr (A1) at Kyeemagh

Western: Hume Mwy (M31) and Westlink (M7) at Casula

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Kyeemagh, Arncliffe, Bardwell Park (tunnel), Bexley, Kingsgrove, Beverly Hills, Narwee, Riverwood, Padstow, Revesby, Panania, Milperra, Hammondville, Moorebank, Casula, Lurnea and Prestons

Current: M5

Former: 5

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

6005

General Information:

M5 is a major arterial route from the Airport and CBD to the south-western suburbs of Sydney.

The Casula bypass and Moorebank Avenue to King Georges Road sections are owned by Interlink Roads Pty Limited. The M5 East, the Liverpool Bridge and the Hume Highway are RMS owned. The tolling arrangements on the tolled section started as a 30 year operating contract, with the original date of reverting to the public being August 2022. However the Moorebank Avenue overpass works have extended the contract by 1.1 years, putting the revised reversion date at September 2023.

The South Western Motorway features 2 tunnels, a 4 kilometre one under Bardwell Park and Arncliffe and another short one near Kingsford Smith Airport at Kyeemagh.

February 1985: Construction of a super-2 expressway between Hume Hwy at Casula and Heathcote Rd at Moorebank. ²

August 1992: Metroad 5 between Moorebank Avenue to King Georges Road opened to traffic. ²

October 1992: A super-2 expressway section between Fairford Road and King Georges Road opened to traffic. Fairford Road and also Belmore Road gained a west-facing ramps. ²

June 1994: Casula bypass opens to traffic, replacing the urban arterial Hume Highway / Campbelltown Road link for through traffic between Casula and Glenfield. ²

December 1997: The 3-lane Liverpool Bridge over Georges River duplication. The duplication resulted in seven lanes of freeway, four eastbound and three westbound and ended the bottleneck caused with the tidal flow system during morning and afternoon peaks when the bridge was 3 lanes wide. ²

May 1999: As part of the M5 East project and duplication of the the super-2 section of motorway, east-facing ramps with toll collection facilities were built at The River Road. ²

August 1999: As part of the M5 East project, the duplication of the super-2 section of motorway was opened in conjunction with east-facing ramps with toll collection facilities at Fairford Rd. ²

December 2001: The M5 East opened between King Georges Road and General Holmes Drive, providing easier access to the International Airport. ²

December 2002: Traffic lights that operated at the Moorebank Avenue intersection at Moorebank for over 15 years were switched off. ²

January 2003: Completion of overpass at Moorebank Av. ²

December 2005: The Sir Roden Cutler VC Interchange was constructed as part of the Westlink (M7) works. The westbound offramp at Camden Valley Way was removed and built 1 km east at Beech Road to accommodate Westlink M7 southbound traffic to Hume Highway. ²

2013: Metroad 5 replaced by M5. Also work commenced on widening the route to 3 lanes each way between Beverly Hills and Casula.