John Holland, an Australian contractor owned by China Communications Construction, and Vinci subsidiary Seymour Whyte have been selected to design and build the Sydney Gateway motorway.

The road will connect Sydney Airport, Port Botany and the surrounding road network to the newly opened WestConnex St Peters Interchange, where the M4 and M8 meet.

The road will carry 100,000 vehicles a day, reducing travel time from the airport to Parramatta by 40 minutes, and Inner West to the airport by 30 minutes.

The government of New South Wales (NSW) says it is investing US$1.9bn in the project.

Andrew Constance, NSW minister for roads, said: “The project, with the wider network, will allow motorists to bypass 26 sets of traffic lights between Parramatta and Sydney Airport’s domestic terminal.

“The direct, efficient and safe route means we are also expecting Sydney Gateway to be used by half of all trucks travelling to Port Botany by 2026, handing Mascot streets back to the local community.”John Kirkwood, Seymour Whyte’s managing director, said: “This award demonstrates the civil engineering and technical ingenuity within our joint venture partnership. Together, we draw on our combined proven capability to efficiently deliver major infrastructure projects for an integrated road and public transport network.

“We are committed to working closely with our local suppliers, local communities and the government to deliver this important project safely and efficiently."

Construction is due to begin in 2021.