Statistics:
- Length:
- 7 km
- Termini:
- Eastern: Morshead Drive and Kings Avenue at Russell
- Western: Glenloch Interchange (William Hovell Dr, Tuggeranong Pkwy and Caswell Dr) at Acton
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Acton, Civic, Reid, Campbell and Russell
Route Numbering:
- Current: None
General Information:
Parkes Way is located along the northern foreshore of Lake Burley Griffin and is a major east-west route for traffic to and from the airport, Civic, and parts of Belconnen, Woden and Tuggeranong.
It's divided for its enitre length and travels via tunnel under the Australian National University (ANU).
Major routes Parkes Way connects to include Tuggeranong Parkway, William Hovell Drive, Commonwealth Avenue (A23), Anzac Parade and Morshead Drive.
The road is named after Sir Henry Parkes, who was a legislator, federalist and one of the Founders of the Constitution. He became Premier of New South Wales in 1872, advocating union of the Australian colonies from 1867. He died 1896 before the first Federal Parliament. 1
History:
- 21 July 1960: Name was gazetted. 1
- 29 November 1961: Parkes Way between Kings Avenue and Scotts Crossing. 2
- 1963: Construction begins on Parkes Way, east of Commonwealth Avenue. 3
- 5 April 1963: Parkes way between Anzac Park and Allara Street opened to traffic. 4
- 17 October 1979: 5.5 kilometre section of the Molonglo Arterial (Parkes Way), the Glenloch Interchange and the Lakeside Interchange (on Tuggeranong Parkway) opened to traffic. The $27 million road included 20 kilometres of carriageway, 8 bridges, the Acton tunnel and 7 kilometres of pedestrian and cycle paths. 5
- 2008: Commencement of the replacement of Kings Way / Parkes Way roundabout at Russell with grade separated full diamond interchange 6
- January 2014: Opening of a third lane from Glenloch Interchange to Edinburgh Avenue in both directions. Other work included increasing the length of the merging lane with London Circuit and the installation of new street lighting. 7
Click or tap here for construction photos of the Kings Avenue / Parkes Way / Morshead Drive interchange.
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Kings Av interchange at Barton, October 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Kings Avenue:
Parkes Way at Barton as it passes under Kings Av, October 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Lane Allocation Sign:
Special lane allocation sign approaching the roundabout with Anzac Pde in Parkes, October 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Campbell approaching Anzac Parade, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign for the car park for Commonwealth Park, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Anzac Parade Roundabout:
Signage as you exit the Anzac Parade roundabout at Campbell, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Parkes Way at Campbell, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Diagrammatic AD sign and conventional AD sign at Campbell approaching the Coranderrk St roundabout, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Coranderrk Street Roundabout:
ID sign on the exit from Coranderrk St roundabout at Campbell, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Civic approaching Commonwealth Av (A23) interchange, February 2010. Note Telstra Tower in the distance, atop Black Mountain.
Image © Paul Rands
Commonwealth Avenue Interchange:
Parkes Way at the Commonwealth Av (A23) interchange in Civic, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Civic, next to the Commonwealth Av bridge for the interchange with Lawson Cres and Edinburgh Av, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Lawson Crescent & Edinburgh Avenue Interchange:
Westbound at Civic at the interchange with Lawson Cres and Edinburgh Av, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Lawson Crescent & Edinburgh Avenue Interchange:
Westbound at Civic at the interchange with Lawson Cres and Edinburgh Av, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Lawson Crescent & Edinburgh Avenue Interchange:
Westbound at Civic at the interchange with Lawson Cres and Edinburgh Av, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Acton Tunnel:
Westbound at Acton, approaching the tunnel under Australian National University (ANU), December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Acton Tunnel:
Westbound at Acton, at the entrance to the tunnel under Australian National University (ANU), December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Inside Acton Tunnel:
Westbound through the tunnel at Acton, December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Signs:
AD signs at Acton approaching the interchange with Clunies Ross St & Lady Denman Dr, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Acton approaching the interchange with Clunies Ross St & Lady Denman Dr, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Clunies Ross Street & Lady Denman Drive Interchange:
Parkes Way at Acton, at the interchange with Clunies Ross St & Lady Denman Dr, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Distance Sign:
RD sign at Acton after the interchange with Clunies Ross St & Lady Denman Dr, February 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Glenloch Interchange at the base of Black Mountain, February 2010. Note the incorrect spelling of William. This has since been corrected.
Image © Paul Rands
Parkes Way From Black Mountain:
Looking eastbound towards the tunnel under Australian National University at Acton. Image taken from Telstra Tower on top of Black Mountain, 1999.
Image © Paul Rands
Distance Sign:
Eastbound RD sign just after the Glenloch Interchange near Acton, December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Entering The North Canberra Region:
Parkes Way near Acton, as you head into Civic, December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Clunies Ross Street Interchange:
Eastbound at the Clunies Ross Street interchange at Acton, December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Acton for the Edinburgh Avenue interchange, January 2014. Click here for a photo of this location from December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign at Acton for the Edinburgh Avenue interchange, January 2014. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Acton Tunnel:
Eastbound at Acton, approaching the tunnel under Australian National University (ANU), December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Acton Tunnel:
Eastbound at Acton, at the entrance to the tunnel under Australian National University (ANU), January 2014. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Inside Acton Tunnel:
Eastbound through the tunnel at Acton, December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Edinburgh Avenue Interchange:
Eastbound at Acton at the Edinburgh Av interchange, January 2014. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Edinburgh Avenue Interchange:
Eastbound at Acton at the Edinburgh Av interchange, December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Black Intersection Directional Sign:
Black ID sign on the off ramp from Commonwealth Av (A23) to London Cct and Parkes Way at Civic, October 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Eastbound At Civic:
Heading east on Parkes Way as you pass under the footbridge that connects Marcus Clarke Street to Kuttabul Place and the west basin of Lake Burley Griffin, December 2009. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from July 2006.
Image © Paul Rands
Commonwealth Avenue Interchange:
Eastbound at Civic at the Commonwealth Avenue Interchange (Commonwealth Place), December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Commonwealth Avenue Interchange:
Eastbound at Civic at the Commonwealth Avenue Interchange (Commonwealth Place), December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Eastbound AD sign as you approach the roundabout with Coranderrk Street at Civic, October 2013. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
ID Sign:
Intersection directional sign on the corner of Parkes Way and Coranderrk Street, Civic, eastbound. October 2013. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
ID Sign:
Intersection directional sign on the corner of Parkes Way and Coranderrk Street, Reid, December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Reid approaching the Anzac Avenue roundabout, December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the Anzac Avenue roundabout at Reid, December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the Anzac Avenue roundabout at Campbell, January 2014.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching the Kings Avenue interchange at Russell, October 2013. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Kings Avenue:
Eastbound at Russell at the Kings Avenue interchange, October 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
1 ACT Planning & Land Authority, Place Name Search, Parkes Way
2 Canberra Times, Page 4, 29 November 1961
3 National Library of Australia.
4 Canberra Times, Page 7, 4 April 1963
5 Canberra Times, Page 10, 16 October 1979
6 Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
7 Territory and Municipal Services, Roads and Transport, Major Construction Projects, Completed Projects, Parkes Way Widening