| Road Photos & Information: New South Wales | |||
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General Information:
Metroad 1 is basically a replacement of National Route 1 through the Sydney area, when Metroads were introduced to NSW in the 1990s. That said, the Metroad 1 route has had some changes to its routing since it was introduced.
The route is formed by several major roads in Sydney and carries large volumes of traffic daily. It consists of mostly suburban arterial road qualities, mostly 3 lanes in each direction. There are a few near freeway standard sections along the route, and the Eastern Distributor and Sydney Harbour Tunnel form sections of underground roadway.
The Gore Hill Freeway, formerly part of Metroad 2, is 3.1 kilometres in length and links the Warringah Freeway at Naremburn with the Lane Cove Tunnel at Lane Cove. Originally the freeway linked with Epping Road. During construction 70 000 trees were used in the landscaping, more than was removed to build the freeway. *
Formerly known as the Warringah Expressway, this section of Metroad 1 is one of Sydney's grander road engineering feats. It was originally designed to head through Sydney's north shore to the northern beaches.
The original plan for the Warringah Freeway was bigger than what the road is today. At its northern end, it was to turn north at Willoughby Road, through the SCEGGS playing fields, through Castlecrag and cross Middle Harbour at Sugarloaf Point / Pickering Point. From there it would continue north along the Wakehurst Pkwy. There was an EIS comissioned in 1963 for an interchange at Warringah Road & Wakehurst Parkway. There was also to be two spurs from Pickering Point into Balgowlah and another along Burnt Bridge Creek to join Condamine Street near Kenneth Road.
The Warringah Freeway also features adjustable lanes depending on traffic requirements. The western middle carriageway, which is usually northbound, becomes southbound during the morning peak (from 05:30 - 09:30). The time the change back occurs, depends on different traffic conditions. The eastern middle carriageway used to become northbound in the afternoon peak prior to 1987. This changed when construction of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel began. Because of the tunnel approach, this carriageway is now permanently southbound only.
Click here for an RTA Oral History file on the constuction of the Warringah Freeway (MP3 format, 4.35 MB)
The route features New South Wales first ever expressway, the Cahill Expressway built in the 1950s at Circular Quay. Stage 1 of the route features a dual deck, with roadway on the top and railway under, both passing over the Circular Quay ferry terminal on Sydney Harbour. ** For a full history, with photos of the Cahill Expressway, click here.
The 2.3 kilometre Sydney Harbour Tunnel connects the Warringah Freeway on the northern side of Sydney Harbour to the Cahill Expressway, south of the harbour. It includes a one kilometre section below the harbour constructed by the immersed tube method. The Sydney Harbour Tunnel Company (SHTC) owns, operates and will maintain the Harbour Tunnel until August 2022 when it will be transferred to public ownership. *
The Eastern Distributor segment of Metroad 1 provides a high-quality road link between the Cahill Expressway at Woolloomooloo and Southern Cross Drive at Zetland. The motorway was funded and built by Airport Motorway Limited, which now operates, maintains and repairs the motorway until 2048, when it will revert to public ownership. The motorway is operated on Airport Motorway's behalf by Leighton Contractors. * The Eastern Distributor bypasses up to 19 sets of traffic lights. *** Click here for the Eastern Distributor web site.
Existing roads were re-named ‘Princes Highway’ after the visit to Australia in 1920 of the Prince of Wales (later to become King Edward VIII, and after abdicating, the Duke of Windsor). The highway was officially opened on August 10 1920 at Warragul, Victoria.
The Princes Highway starts in the Sydney suburb of St. Peters as a continuation of King Street, and heads south through the Illawarra region of New South Wales and the city of Wollongong. It continues south, through the South Coast of New South Wales, passing through Nowra and Batemans Bay, and finally crossing the border into Victoria south of Eden.
The Metroad 1 section of the Princes Highway covers Sydney's southeastern suburbs.
The Princes Highway features Tom Uglys Bridge over the Georges River, which comprises of six through Pratt trusses and three deck plate web girders. The Bridge has a concrete deck supported on steel buckled plates between steel stringers. The six trusses of the bridge follow the American practice of being tall through trusses with overhead bracing above the traffic. It has an overall length of 499m: 6 trusses of 69.5m and three approach steel girder spans of 27.4m. There is a 4.5m wide footway and the bridge is 10.4m wide between kerbs. Tolls were levied until 31 May 1952 when the loans for the bridge were repaid. *
History:
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Distance Sign: Southbound RD sign at the intersection with King Georges Road (Metroad 3) at Blakehurst. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Princes Highway at Heathcote, approaching the intersection with Heathcote Road (Metroad 6). August 2008. Image © Michael Mak |
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Southbound at Blakehurst: The Princes Hwy as it winds past Dover Park near Kogarah Bay. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Blakehurst: Looking northeast at Blakehurst after the King Georges Road (Metroad 3) intersection. June 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Unusual AD Sign: Custom advance direction sign for a loop road between the 2 carriageways of the Tom Ugly's Bridge at Blakehurst. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Approaching Rocky Point Road: Travelling northeast on the Princes Hwy at Blakehurst approaching Rocky Point Road. June 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Tom Ugly's Bridge Approach: The original crossing (right) was opened on the 11th May 1929 and was then known as the "Georges River Bridge". It was designed by Percy Allan and consists of six steel truss spans forming a total length of 499m (545 yds). When it was opened, it was the longest bridge in Australia. A second bridge (left), which opened on 17 October 1987, was built adjacent to alleviate traffic congestion. The new bridge was designed to carry four lanes of the Princes Highway, three southbound and one northbound, which allows the original bridge to carry three northbound lanes. Image © Paul Rands |
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Reassurance Sign: Reassurance marker as you travel northeast at Kogarah, June 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Tom Ugly's Bridge: Southbound deck of Tom Ugly's Bridge over the Georges River. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Approaching The Grand Parade: Eastbound on President Av at Brighton-Le-Sands, June 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Southbound at Sylvania: Hard almost 90 degree turn near Endeavour Street in Sylvania. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign: Southbound diagrammatic AD sign approaching Port Hacking Road at Sylvania. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Typical Conditions: Average highway conditions for the majority of this section of Metroad 1. Southbound near Lisbon Street in Sylvania. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Reassurance Marker: Metroad 1 sheild southbound near Rocklea Crescent at Sylvania. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign: Southbound AD sign approaching Bates Drive at Kirrawee. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign: Southbound AD sign approaching The Boulevarde at Kirrawee. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign: Southbound AD signage approaching the junction with Waratah Street in Kirrawee. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Approaching the Kingsway: Southbound at Kirrawee, near the intersection with former state route 64, The Kingsway. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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The Kingsway: Looking south at the intersection with The Kingsway at Kirrawee. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Supplementary Advance Directional Sign: Southbound sign approaching the Old Princes Highway at Kirrawee. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Diagrammatic Sign: Image © Paul Rands |
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Corner of Old Princes Hwy and Princes Hwy: Looking west at Kirrawee. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Sutherland By-Pass: Looking southbound on the Sutherland By-pass which opened to traffic in the mid 1970s. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign: Southbound approaching the entrance to the Royal National Park, Farnell Av. The Royal National Park was founded in 1879 by Sir John Robertson, Premier of New South Wales, it is the world's second oldest purposed national park. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Farnell Avenue: Southbound through the Farnell Avenue (SR68) interstction at Loftus. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Distance Sign: RD sign located on the southbound carriageway of the highway after the Farnell Avenue interesection. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Anzac Avenue Approach: Advance directional sign for the intersection with Anzac Avenue in Engadine. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign: Southbound AD sign approaching the Old Princes Highway. The CBD of Engadine was by-passed during the late 60s. March 2007. Image © Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign: Overhead AD sign approaching the intersection with Metroad 6 - Heathcote Road. Heathcote Road was completed in 1941 as a defence route, one of several constructed in the Sydney region back then. August 2008. Click here for a photo taken in March 2007 of the sign it replaced. Image © Michael Mak |
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Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the intersection with Metroad 6 - Heathcote Road. Heathcote Road was completed in 1941 as a defence route, one of several constructed in the Sydney region back then. August 2008. Image © Michael Mak |
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Southbound at Heathcote: Looking south at Heathcote near Dalley Road. December 2005. Image © Paul Rands |
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Southbound at Waterfall: Fold up driver journey break sign. The lights flash when a police blitz is running, southbound at Waterfall, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands |
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Southbound at Waterfall: Looking towards Wollongong at Waterfal near the Hanrob Boarding Kennels, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands |
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Route Change Sign: Sign indicating distance to the point where Metroad 1 transitions to National Route 1 at Waterfall. December 2005 at the turn off to Darangan Close. Image © Paul Rands |
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| Click here for the continuation of Metroad 1 betweem Kyeemagh and Artarmon | ||||
* Information courtesy of the City of Sydney
** Information courtesy of Roads & Traffic Authority
*** Information courtesy of Airport Motorway Pty Ltd
**** Information courtesy of the NSW Parliament
***** Information courtesy of North Sydney Council
****** Information courtesy of Home Traders Real Estate
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