Australia’s Canberra Airport has opened two access roads that will boost travel times for around 30,000 drivers every weekday.

Canberra Airport contributed A$8m to the A$15.5m cost of the upgrade, which includes two extra lanes on Pialligo Avenue between Beltana Road and Brindabella Circuit.

Canberra Airport managing director Stephen Byron said that the reduction in travel time for local drivers is greatly welcomed.

“The completion of this project marks a key milestone in the development of a true freeway system linking the airport, the parliamentary triangle and Canberra CBD,” Byron said.

NRMA director Alan Evans said that this showed Canberra Airport was prepared to play a role in addressing traffic issues around the airport.

“In the future Canberra will become more and more an important hub for both passengers and freight and this project demonstrates the sort of long-term planning needed in both land use and infrastructure,” Evans said.

The roadworks were completed two months ahead of schedule by local company Woden Contractors. The remaining work is expected to be completed in the second half of 2009.