The so-called continuous flow intersection planned for Moore Park. Credit:RMS The agency argues that the opening of the third stage of WestConnex from Haberfield to St Peters in 2023 will later "take traffic away from this corridor". But the City of Sydney's chief transport adviser, Terry Lee-Williams, said the third stage of WestConnex would encourage more motorists to use the corridor to bypass the CBD to get to the eastern suburbs. The modelling shows traffic volumes near Sydney Park on Euston Road will double to 40,000 vehicles a day by 2021, which RMS says is due to a new interchange for WestConnex at St Peters, the Green Square redevelopment and population growth. "They will induce demand by building stage three," Mr Lee-Williams said. "This motorway they are building through what will be the most densely populated part of the country needs be be seriously reconsidered."

Lachlan Street in Waterloo will be widened from two to four lanes under the plans. Credit:Janie Barrett "It's a capitulation to cars over people. This is the first time they have publicly come out and admitted that WestConnex will cause carmageddon in the inner suburbs." The key east-west route south of the CBD runs from Euston Street at Maddox Street, Alexandria, along McEvoy and Lachlan streets, and Dacey Avenue to the intersection of Anzac Parade and Alison Road at Moore Park. Preliminary designs show 42 individual property lots – nine of which are residential – in private ownership will be impacted by the project. Up to 12 acquisitions of entire properties are possible, including the Moore Park View Hotel on the corner of Lachlan and South Dowling streets where a larger intersection is proposed.

Moore Park View Hotel owner John Doble said he had been approached by RMS but it was still unclear whether all or part of the heritage-listed building he had owned for 27 years would be acquired. "We would want substantial compensation. There are another thousand [apartment] units within walking distance of the hotel," he said. RMS said most of the properties earmarked, such as the Iron Duke Hotel in Alexandria, would be impacted only by "minor footpath work". The eastern end of the corridor where it intersects with Anzac Parade is already a challenge for motorists, especially at peak hours. But within the next two years it will become more so when 60-metre-long trams run through it every few minutes during peak hour as they travel to and from Kensington.

RMS is proposing a massive "continuous flow intersection" at Anzac Parade, designed so that right-turn movements "occur in advance of the main intersection" and allowing more "green time for through traffic". An online map used for community consultation reveals mixed perceptions about the proposed project. Some are concerned by the destruction of trees and pedestrian areas, while others say the road widening is needed and long overdue. Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the road widening projects such as that for Alexandria to Moore Park were proposed only because WestConnex was poorly planned and would funnel traffic onto already congested residential roads. Cr Moore, who has campaigned vigorously against WestConnex, accused the government of shielding itself from the true cost of the $16.8 billion motorway by not including other projects such as the Alexandria corridor upgrade.

"NSW taxpayers are being forced to pick up the tab on these projects because WestConnex can't pay for them," she said. "Widening these roads will only relieve congestion temporarily." Loading RMS said the Alexandria-Moore Park upgrade was in the early stages of development and a final concept design would not be completed until later this year. On Monday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said WestConnex would help inner-city residents because it would take traffic off local roads and "put more traffic underground".