Stage 2 M8 – WestConnex (NSW)

Building the commercial foundations for Sydney’s key motorways

The M8 (formerly New M5) was the second stage of the $17billion WestConnex program. Opening in 2020, it provided an alternative route between the M5 Motorway and St Peters. This reduces congestion on the M5 East, saves travel time for motorists, and provides for the development of future efficient connections with WestConnex M4-M5 Link, the airport, Port Botany, as well as the potential Southern Connector.      

The M8 tunnels have doubled the capacity of the M5 East corridor, improving travel times and reliability for the 100,000 motorists who use this key route every day.

Complemented by a new, major interchange at St Peters, significant upgrades of the local road network and connection to the proposed Sydney Gateway Project the tunnels have helped ease traffic congestion across some of Sydney’s highest population areas.

Our role

MBB Group was engaged from the development of the WestConnex business case (2013) and Project Definition Report (2015) through to the financial close of the M8 Early Works and M8 D&C contracts. MBB team members provided leadership, commercial and transactional services to Roads and Maritime Services and the WestConnex Delivery Authority (WDA).

During the project lifecycle, key achievements included:

• Successfully managing key functions within the procurement and project delivery phases of the project, ensuring key client objectives were met by the project team
• Undertaking extensive technical studies to establish the clear technical feasibility of the project and identify any engineering uncertainties to be resolved before the project was taken to procurement
• Successfully managing third party interfaces
• Leading negotiations, commercial and interface management works for the M8 project to ensure the agreements were fit for purpose
• Successfully managing the interface with the Federal Department of Infrastructure Regional Development (DIRD).

Our services

• Strategic Project Leadership
• Procurement and Delivery Strategy
• Market Interactive Process
• Business Case Development
• Scope of Works and Technical Criteria (SWTC) Development and Management
• Transaction Management
• Project and Contract Management
• Contractual Close