Road Photos & Information: Victoria

Calder Freeway & Calder Highway (M/A79)

Statistics:

• Length: 560 km
• Northern Terminus: Vic-NSW border at Yelta (near Mildura).
• Southern Terminus: Interchange with Tullamarine Fwy (MR40 / MR43) at Niddrie
• Miscellaneous: Continues as NR79 (Calder Hwy / Silver City Hwy) in NSW
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Niddrie (Melbourne), Sunbury, Kyneton, Bendigo, Charleton, Wycheproof, Ouyen, Red Cliffs, Mildura, Merbein and Yelta.

Route Numbering:

• Current:
• Former:
• Multiplexed with:
• Road Authority Classification: 1530 (Calder Freeway), 6530 (Calder Highway) and 6610 (Sturt Highway) 1

General Information:

The M/A79 corridor is a major route in Victoria's road system, and consists of urban arterial, undivided rural highway, divided highway and freeway conditions. The Calder Highway / Freeway segment is a strategic link in Victoria’s road network and carries a high volume of commuter, freight, business and tourist traffic between Melbourne, Bendigo and Mildura. 1

Multiplexes along the route include:

• A79 is duplexed by NH-A20 along the Sturt Highway segment of the route for 3 kilometres in Mildura.
• There is also a duplex with A300 for 29 km from Myrtle Street in Bendigo to the town of Harcourt.
• Plus there's a duplex for 6 kilometres with MR40 from the Green Gully Road (MR40) interchange at Keilor to the eastern terminus of M79 at Niddrie, where it connects to the Tullamarine Freeway (MR40)

History:

• 1925: North Western Highway (would later become Calder Highway) declared. 2
• 1928: North Western Hwy renamed Calder Hwy. 2
• 1970s: F90 route number first used. 2
• 1989: F90 decommissioned. Also MR40 duplex introduced. 2
• 1997: Conversion from NR79 to M/A79 as part of Vicroads alphanumeric route numbering scheme.
• 2005: Construction of 43km of four lane divided highway from Kyneton to Ravenswood commenced. New sections that have been completed and opened in stages include duplication of the existing highway north of Kyneton and at Ravenswood, and construction of new freeway lanes bypassing Malmsbury, Taradale and Elphinstone, dates are listed below: 1
  • 24 January 2005: Opening of upgrade works to the Calder Fwy at Kyneton North. 1
  • May 2005: Ravenswood dual carriageway upgrade opens to traffic. 1
  • 24 November 2005: Construction commences on the section of the Malmsbury segment of the Calder Highway duplication, with the Federal Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd, joining the Victorian Transport Minister, Peter Batchelor to turn the first sod. 1
  • October 2006: Works begin on Harcourt South section of the Calder Highway duplication from Faraday to the Midland Highway at Harcourt.1
  • December 2007: Malmsbury East Road overpass opened by The Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Bob Cameron. 1
  • April 2008: A 15 km section of the Malmsbury reconstruction stage opened. Also work commences on widen the Calder Fwy to 3 lanes in each direction between Keilor Park Drive and Melton Highway. 1
• October 2006: Opening of new inbound traffic lanes forming part of the upgraded Tullamarine-Calder Interchange. The opening of new inbound lanes meant Calder Freeway traffic no longer had to weave across Tullamarine Freeway traffic to access Bulla Road, instead they could use a dedicated exit lane. 1

1 VicRoads
2 Viseth Uch

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