M12 Motorway

CM+ are the urban designers for all project elements, including public domain design and have worked closely with Balarinji for the integration of Aboriginal design principles and artwork on M12 Motorway.

The western portion of the $2.1B, 16 kilometre long M12 Motorway between Elizabeth Drive and The Northern Road at Luddenham provides toll free access to Western Sydney International Airport and across the Aerotropolis precinct. The eastern portion of the project the M7/M12 Interchange is set to open mid 2026.

The overarching site wide strategy for the project looks to create a design that is ‘of place’, taking into consideration the change in land use from what was predominantly a rural and semi-rural landscape towards a 24-hour Aerotropolis, promoting an active community and enhancing the user experience. It protects and re-establishes natural systems, and establishes a unique project identity for its role as the gateway to western Sydney.

The project creates expansive public open space opportunities, with a new active transport link along the route linking to existing and future networks. Six rest stops celebrate both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal local heritage and culture with educational signage and eucalyptus leaf-like shade structures at each one, highlighting the Darug’s six seasons across the year, complemented with endemic Cumberland Plain plantings of grasses and trees. A feature is the 30 metre high Great Emu in the Sky sculpture at the Airport interchange celebrating the Darug Community’s sacred creation story of the Great Emu constellation. It is visible both day and night from the shared path and roadway, as well as above from planes and even the Metro when it opens.