PREMIER Mike Baird says two proposed extensions of the WestConnex motorway are an "incredible opportunity" for St George and Sutherland Shire motorists.
"After 65 years of waiting, Sydney's south can finally be brought closer to the city's CBD," he said.
"For the first time, Sydney would have a genuine north-south corridor to the west of the CBD, to complement the Eastern Distributor in the east and to take pressure off that busy transport corridor."
Motorists would pay a distance-based toll to use the new roads from Tempe to Kogarah, and from near Camperdown to Anzac Bridge.
The projects depend on the WestConnex Authority providing a solid business case by November, and the Coalition receiving a mandate at the March election to privatise 49 per cent of the electricity "poles and wires" network.
Mr Baird said the two extensions would cost about $1.5 billion.
"Previously these two connections would have taken more than a decade to build," he said.
"Now, we have an incredible opportunity to build them sooner."
Mr Baird said the southern extension went "hand in hand" with the proposed F6 extension.
"You need a connection into the F6 corridor, and this is an important opportunity in relation to that," he said.
A government map shows the southern extension would be a Tempe-to-Kyeemagh tunnel.
The motorway would continue on the F6 reservation at ground level to President Avenue, Kogarah.
But residents and business owners in President Avenue are worried.
Joanne Harper, who lives on the edge of the F6 corridor in a house owned by Roads and Maritime Services, said she would be "more than heartbroken" if she had to move.
She produced photos showing how she had transformed the house she moved into seven years ago from "a dump with broken windows, rubbish everywhere and overgrown yards" into a spotless home with beautiful gardens.
Ms Harper was also worried at the possible loss to residents of the adjoining parkland, which she keeps tidy.
‘‘There are always people using the park. As for the extra traffic, it is almost impossible for people to get out of their driveways now.’’
Helen Fellis recalled how quiet the street was when she and her husband Chris bought their home in President Avenue 47 years ago.
‘‘Now it’s very noisy, particularly at night with the trucks,’’ she said. ‘‘We don’t need more traffic, but what can you do?’’
Paul Singh, who operates President Avenue Fruit World, said he was concerned about the possible effects on the business, which he and his partner bought last year.
‘‘I hope they will show us details as quickly as possible,’’ he said.
Opposition Leader John Roberston said Mr Baird had come up with every infrastructure proposal he could think of ‘‘before throwing in a set of steak knives for good measure’’.
He said people would end up paying for the government’s electricity privatisation plan through higher power bills.
NRMA: No.1 priority
AN NRMA report recommended an extension of the F6, including connection to the WestConnex motorway, as the best strategy for dealing with the shire’s traffic congestion.
Research for the Get Sutherland Shire Moving report, released last year, found car travel times between the shire and Sydney CBD in peaks were significantly longer than from similar distance centres (84 minutes day, compared with the 78 minutes average for Sydney trips of a similar distance).
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