Sydney's long-awaited NorthConnex tunnel is finally open, allowing motorists to bypass 21 sets of traffic lights and taking thousands of trucks off "the most hated road in Australia".
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The $3 billion project, which the NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance says will change the lives of residents who live along Pennant Hills Road, opened to motorists from 2am on Saturday.
The twin nine kilometre tunnels between the M1 at Wahroonga and M2 at West Pennant Hills will save motorists 15 minutes each trip, and will also make Australia's most despised road safer, he says.
"The reality is that when one in four accidents on Pennant Hills Road involves a truck, we've got to take action," Mr Constance told reporters on Friday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new road was the missing link in the National Highway network.
"NorthConnex is a game-changing piece of infrastructure that will allow drivers to travel between Newcastle and Melbourne without stopping at a traffic light," Mr Morrison said in a statement.
However, truck drivers are not happy they'll be forced to pay thousands in tolls for using the tunnel, or thousands in fines for using Pennant Hills Road.
Australian Associated Press
