Road Photos & Information: Australian Capital Territory: Federal Highway (National Highway 23)

Road Photos & Information: Australian Capital Territory

Federal Highway (National Highway 23)

Statistics:

Length: 7 km
Northern Terminus: ACT-NSW border at Ginns Gap, near Watson.
Southern Terminus: Corner of the Federal Hwy (Northbourne Av (NR23)) and Barton Hwy (NH25) at Downer
Miscellaneous: Continues as Federal Hwy (M23) from NSW Border at Ginns Gap to the Hume Hwy (M31) at Wollogorang, near the city of Goulburn.
Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Ginns Gap, Watson and Downer

Route Numbering:

Current:
Former:
Forthcoming Alphanumeric: A23

General Information:

The ACT section of NH23 is quite short, travelling just 7 kilometres from the NSW-ACT Border to the junction with the Barton Highway and Northbourne Avenue at Downer. National Highway 23 continues on from the Federal Highway in New South Wales.

The entire route is 4-lane dual carriageway with 2 lanes in each direction for north and southbound traffic. The route features both at grade intersections and also a grade-separated interchange with Alternate National Route 23, Majura Road and also Horse Park Drive, both in the North Canberra locale.

History:

1930's: Route was constructed to serve Sydney-Canberra traffic. The construction of the Federal Highway linking Canberra to the New South Wales towns of Collector and Goulburn was completed by unemployed men working for 'relief' money. 1
July 1931: Route opens to traffic. Access to Canberra before this was via Gunning (using what is now known as Sutton-Gundaroo Road, Sutton Road and Gundaroo Road) or Tarago. 1
1974: Upgraded from National Route 23, with the introduction of the National Highway system. 2
August 1998: Variation of the territory plan to allow construction of the Majura Road / Horse Park Drive interchange near Watson, and the duplication of Federal Highway from Watson to NSW border. 3
1999: The section of highway between the border and Stirling Avenue Watson was upgraded to dual carriageways. Previously the Federal Highway was single carriageway in this area.
December 2002: Completion of the dual carriageways between Stirling Avenue and NSW Border.

NSW Border to Downer		Downer to NSW Border
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	ACT Welcome Sign: Crossing from NSW into the ACT, southbound at Ginns Gap. This sign is a newer version of a similar design built in the 1960s or 70s. This sign was erected sometime between 1999 and 2002 as part of the duplication works. Heading north is a similar sign with New South Wales on it. July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Phillip Av, Lyneham, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Welcome to Canberra Sign: Sign welcoming visitors to Canberra, and also indicates the traditional owners of the land around the ACT area, Watson, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Lyneham, approaching Flemington Road, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Urban Speed Limit Sign: Sign at Watson incdicating the urban speed limit in the ACT. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Heavy Vehicle Route Signage: Sign at Kenny denoting the direction of the heavy vehicle route, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Majura Road / Horse Park Drive Interchange: Southbound approaching the interchange for Majura Road (ALT-NR23) and Horse Park Drive, Watson. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Trailblazer: This photo from 2004 shows a trailblazer attached to a lamp post, near the intersection of Stirling Avenue at Kenny, northbound on Federal Highway. Image © Sam Laybutt (ozroads.com.au)
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Watson for the Hughie Edwards VC Rest Area, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Stirling Av, Watson: Approaching the signalised junction with Stiring Avenue & Exhibition Park at Kenny, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Majura Road / Horse Park Drive Interchange: Southbound through the interchange for Majura Road (ALT-NR23) and Horse Park Drive, North Canberra. Note Telstra Tower atop Black Mountain, in the distance. July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Kenny approaching Well Station Road, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: Large RD as you head southbound at Watson, just before the Antill Street roundabout, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Old Well Station Road Junction: Corner of Federal Hwy & Old Well Station Rd at Kenny, November 2013. Click here for a photo of this location from December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Antill Street: Southbound advance directional sign for the Antill Street roundabout at Watson, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign near the Zelling Street intersection at Kenny, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering North Canberra: Federal Hwy as it officially enters the North Canberra region of the ACT, at Watson, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Heavy Vehicle Route Signage: Sign at Kenny denoting the direction of the heavy vehicle route, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Antill Street Approach: Southbound at Watson, approaching Antill Street, note the white lines across the lanes - they're used to alert drivers to the upcoming roundabout as they come out of an 80 km/h zone. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Approaching Antill Street: Advance directional sign for the Antill Street roundabout at Kenny, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Truck Route Sign: Truck route sign approaching Antill St roundabout at Watson, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		ID Sign: Intersection directional sign at Kenny near Antill St, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the Antill St roundabout at Watson, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Remembrance Driveway Sign: Remembrance Driveway sign near Antill Street at Kenny, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Antill Street Roundabout: Southbound signage and exit from the Antill Street roundabout at Watson, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the Antill St roundabout at Watson, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign near the Zelling Street intersection at Watson, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign after the Antill Street roundabout, Gungahlin, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: Large RD as you head southbound at Watson, just after the Antill Street roundabout and before the Stirling Avenue traffic lights, January 2010. Click here for the old version of this sign, taken in July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Kenny, for the Horse Park Drive and Majura Parkway (M23) interchange, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Watson approaching Wells Station Road, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Horse Park Drive and Majura Parkway Interchange: Federal Hwy at the Horse Park Dr Majura Rd interchange, Kenny, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Old Well Station Road Junction: Corner of Federal Hwy & Old Well Station Rd at Watson, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Throsby for the Hughie Edwards VC Rest Area, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Stirling Av, Watson: Southbound approaching the signalised junction with Stiring Avenue & Exhibition Park at Watson, January 2010. Note the brown ID sign has been modified, you can see the outline of the old lettering. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign after the Majura Pkwy (M23) interchange at Throsby, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Stirling Avenue Intersection: Southbound carriageway of the Federal Highway as it passes across Stirling Avenue's signalised intersection, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Tourist Sign: Tourist signage indicating distance to Lake George wineries, Throsby, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Watson, approaching Flemington Road, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		ACT-NSW Border: Federal Hwy at Ginns Gap, crossing into New South Wales. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Old NR23 Trailblazer: Old handpainted National Route 23 trailblazer, near the Flemington Rd intersection at Watson, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands
	Flemington Road Intersection: Advance directional signage for the tourist information centre, and the Flemington Rd intersection at Watson, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: Southbound RD sign after the Stirling Avenue junction at Watson, January 2010. Note the incorrect NR23 shield on the sign. Click here for the old version of this sign from July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Phillip Av, Watson, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Barton Hwy: Southbound after Phillip Avenue Watson as you approach the turn off to the Barton Highway (National Highway 25), and also the southern terminus of the Federal Highway. Downer, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the Barton Highway intersection, southbound at Downer. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands
	AD Sign: AD sign at Downer near the Barton Hwy junction for the tourist information centre, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands
	End National Highway 23: The southern terminus of the Federal Highway at Downer, the road continues as Northbourne Avenue, National Route 23. Southbound, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of Federal Hwy as M23 in NSW Click here for the continuation of NR23 (as Northbourne Avenue)

1 The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0724004394, 1976
2 Ozroads (Sam Laybutt), National Highway 23 - Federal Highway
3 ACT Planning & Land Authority, Variation to the Territory Plan, No 67, August 1998

Last updated: 19-Feb-2017 13:42

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