Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Sydney-Newcastle Freeway (National Highway 1) - Calga to Somersby - Former Alignment: State Highway No. 26

Statistics:

Length: 25 km
Northern Terminus: Sydney-Newcastle Fwy (NH1) at Somersby
Southern Terminus: Sydney-Newcastle Fwy (NH1) / Pacific Hwy (SR83) at Calga
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Calga, Peats Ridge and Somersby

Route Numbering:

Current:
Former:
Roads & Traffic Authority Internal Classification: Main Road 455 1

General Information:

Peats Ridge Road formed part of State Highway No. 26 (Calga-Ourimbah Expressway), a temporary route designed to connect the end of the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway at Calga to the Pacific Highway at Ourimbah.

Peats Ridge Road served part of the main route between Sydney and Newcastle from 1964 to 1986, when the Mooney Mooney Creek bridge opened to traffic. Peats Ridge Road acted as a bypass of the very windy section of the Pacific Highway between Kariong and Calga. It was an existing road, which was upgraded to cope with increased traffic and a section of specially constructed roadway between Peats Ridge and Ourimbah.

The original, long term, intention of the upgraded Peats Ridge Road, was to become a connector route, formed between Singleton and Sydney, bypassing the Central Coast and Hunter Valley communties, but this never eventuated.

There is a section of the route between Peats Ridge and Ourimbah that is no longer in use. When the freeway was construction through the Somersby area, an interchange for Peats Ridge Road was constructed, which altered the original route. The is an old abandoned bridge and road way as a result. These are still accessible, and photos, plus directions and map based on a design by from Ben Johnson are located here.

History:

The Sydney-Newcastle Freeway (former F3) replaced the old Pacific Highway which was built in the 1920’s along a route that had existed since 1840s, when settler George Peat cut a track to his property on the banks of the Hawkesbury River. 3

Planning began for the freeway in the 1950s, with the aim of providing a high-speed replacement to a section of the Pacific Highway which was built in the 1920s and was struggling to cope with the increased traffic volume. Furthermore it was planned that the freeway would connect to freeway systems being proposed for both Sydney and Newcastle, providing a city-to-city freeway link. However, due to several reasons the goal and route of the freeway changed significantly so that today it serves to bypass Newcastle rather than go into it. 2

Firstly, the route between Mount White and Kariong was originally planned to go further east than the current route with an easier crossing of Mooney Mooney Creek. By the time that construction was to begin on this section resistance from the National Parks and Wildlife Service to the proposed route forced the government to take a route through Calga (Peats Ridge Road), which at the time would have formed part of a route to Singleton. 2

The route through Wyong Shire changed as well; instead of passing along the western edge of the Tuggerah Lakes development in that area resulted in the freeway moving further west with a link road being constructed to meet the Pacific Highway near Doyalson. 2

Perhaps the most significant effect on the freeway's route and its connections was the anti-freeway movement of the 1970s. Strong public resistance to freeways being constructed within cities along with less than favourable results from government inquiries resulted in unconstructed freeway projects being cancelled and those under construction being revised or cut short. For the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, this meant that the connecting Lane Cove Valley and North-Western Freeways in Sydney would not be built - forcing traffic to travel along the Pacific Highway between Wahroonga and the city. In addition, the freeway would now go to the west of Lake Macquarie rather than the east and bypass Newcastle. Sections of State Route 123, one of the two expressway routes that the freeway would have connected to in Newcastle, have been constructed, while the freeway route between Belmont and Bennetts Green and the connecting expressway route to Merewether are still reserved with the possibility that they could be constructed in the future.

April 1963: Construction begins on a 7 km section of dual carriageways north from the Hawkesbury River. This section was opened as a toll road in 1965. The toll was removed around 1990 when the Federal Government decreed that all National Highways should be toll free. 3
1964: Peats Ridge opens to traffic as a through route, bypassing the Kariong to Ourimbah section of the Pacific Hwy.
15 December 1965: The Hawkesbury-Calga section of the Sydney-Newcastle Expressway was completed. 4
Late 1960s: Opening of Berowra to Hawkesbury River section as a toll road. 3
Mid 1970s: Opening of the current 6 lane Hawkesbury River bridge. At this time the toll from each of the north and south sections open (20¢ for each section) was combined with the new bridge (which linked both sections) for a toll of 50¢. This was collected at the existing Berowra toll booths. 3
December 1986: 15 km section of the Freeway opens between Calga and Somersby, this features the spectacular twin bridges over Mooney Mooney Creek. 4

Calga to Somersby		Somersby to Calga
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Peats Ridge Road Bridges: Calga interchange, which connects with Sydney-Newcastle Fwy (NH1) / Pacific Hwy (SR83) / Peats Ridge Road (TD33). The bridges you see in this photo belong to Peats Ridge Road. The closest bridge in shot is now disused. December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Wisemans Ferry Road Overpass: Crossing over Wisemans Ferry Road at Somersby, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Calga Interchange: Rock cuttings for the Calga Interchange with Peats Ridge Road and Sydney-Newcastle Freeway at Calga, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Approaching Wisemans Ferry Road Interchange: Approaching the second interchange (third crossing) with Wisemans Ferry Road at Somersby, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Abandoned Peats Ridge Road Bridge: Looking north on the old southbound Peats Ridge Road bridge at Calga. This bridge was taken out of use when the Sydney-Newcastle Fwy opened between Calga and Somersby via the Mooney Mooney Creek Bridge. December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Wisemans Ferry Road Interchange: Intersection directional sign and interchange with Wisemans Ferry Road at Somersby. The signage along this section of Peats Ridge Road is maintained by Gosford City Council, and is sub-standard. The signs replaced 1970s NH1 signage that dominated the route right up until 2004. December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Peats Road Road Bridges: View of the northbound bridge from the abandoned southbound carriageway at Calga, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Wisemans Ferry Road Overpass: Crossing over Wisemans Ferry Road at Peats Ridge, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for U-turn bay at Calga, which is between the Sydney-Newcastle Fwy interchange and the intersection with Cooks Rd, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching George Downes Drive (TD33) at Peats Ridge. December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign as you head northbound at Calga, just after the interchange, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on George Downes Drive (TD33), approaching Peats Ridge Road at Peats Ridge. December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for U-turn bay at Calga, which forms part of the intersection with Jones Road, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing George Downes Dr (TD33) at Peats Ridge, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Cooks Road at Calga, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign RD sign in the Peats Ridge town centre after the George Downes Dr intersection, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Cooks Road Intersection: Peats Ridge Road, looking northwest, as you pass Cooks Road at Calga, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Calga: Southbound in the Calga area, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering Peats Ridge: Peats Ridge Rd looking northbound, as you enter Peats Ridge, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Cooks Road at Calga, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Peats Ridge Town Centre: Travelling northbound through the town of Peats Ridge. This town was a major rest stop on the trip between Sydney, Newcastle and beyond. The former Oak Milk Bar (right of shot) was one of the things most looked forward to on the long arduous trip, prior to the freeway being extended beyond Calga. The milk bar has since been converted to a local shopping centre. December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Cooks Road Intersection: Peats Ridge Road, looking southeast, as you pass Cooks Road at Calga, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Northbound AD sign approaching George Downes Drive at Peats Ridge. The TD33 designation turns left at this junction. This is also where the former SR36 route number was picked up from, and was routed towards the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway at Somersby. December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Old Peats Ridge Road Alignment On the right side of this shot is the old alignment of Peats Ridge Road as you head southeast on the current alignment at Calga, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	George Downes Drive Intersection: Looking northeast at the George Downes Drive (TD33) intersection at Peats Ridge, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Divided Road: Approaching the divided section of Peats Ridge Road, which was once the official start of the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, Calga, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign after the George Downes Drive intersection at Peats Ridge, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Freeway Green Advance Directional Sign: Freeway green AD sign at the interchange with Sydney-Newcastle Fwy (NH1) at Calga, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Wisemans Ferry Road Interchange: Travelling southeast through the Wisemans Ferry Rd interchange at Peats Ridge. The signage along this section of Peats Ridge Road is maintained by Gosford City Council, and is sub-standard. The signs replaced 1970s NH1 signage that dominated the route right up until 2004. December 2008. Image © Paul Rands		Calga Interchange: Southbound at the Calga interchange with Sydney-Newcastle Fwy (NH1), December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Wisemans Ferry Road Interchange: Travelling southeast through the Wisemans Ferry Rd interchange at Somersby, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Crossing Wisemans Ferry Road: Peats Ridge Road crosses Wisemans Ferry Road three times. This is the second crossing. No ramps are installed at this bridge however. Somersby, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Wisemans Ferry Road Interchange: Travelling southeast through the Wisemans Ferry Rd interchange at Somersby, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Wisemans Ferry Road Interchange: Travelling southeast through the Wisemans Ferry Rd interchange at Somersby, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Advance directional sign for the Sydney-Newcastle Fwy interchange at Somersby, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Somersby Interchange: Entering the Somersby Interchange with the Sydney-Newcastle Fwy (NH1), December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Advance directional sign for the Sydney-Newcastle Fwy interchange at Somersby, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection directional Sign: ID sign at the Sydney-Newcastle Fwy interchange at Somersby, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection directional Sign: ID sign at the Sydney-Newcastle Fwy interchange at Somersby, December 2008. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the bypassed section of State Highway 26, which now forms part of Dog Trap Road

1 Roads & Traffic Authority Schedule of Classified Roads (and unclassified Regional Roads), 25 February 2008
2 Sam Laybutt (Ozroads)
3 Roads & Traffic Authority Thematic History
4 Gosford City Council Web Site

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