Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Hume Motorway & Hume Highway (M31)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

M31

Hume Motorway & Hume Highway (M31) - Yass to Gundagai

Statistics:

Length: 513 km (Yass to Gundagai: 93 km)
Northern Terminus: Westlink (M7) and South Western Mwy (M5) at Prestons
Southern Terminus: NSW-Vic border at Albury
Miscellaneous: Continues as Hume Freeway (M31) at the Victorian border and travels for 303 km to the Metropolitan Ring Road (M80).
Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Yass, Jugiong, Coolac and Gundagai

Route Numbering:

Current: M31

Former:
Road Authority Internal Classification: HW2 1

General Information:

The Hume Highway is one of Australia's most vital highway links. Providing access between Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's 2 largest cities. The National Highway section of the Hume Highway consists of 100% dual carriageway road, either rural expressway or motorway standard.

In NSW, the highway in one form or another started life as the Great South Road, linking Sydney with the southern highlands and eventually beyond. The highway was named in 1928 after Hamilton Hume (1797-1873), a famous explorer in the early 19th century who, in 1824, in conjunction with William Hovell first found an overland route between Sydney and the infant colonial outpost of Port Phillip, the original name of Melbourne.

M31 is the main freight and commuter route between Sydney and Melbourne and has gone through a massive amount of transformation over the past 30 or so years, with many towns being bypassed along its route as well and gradual upgrades to motorway standards. Since the 1960s, the road has either been duplicated, where alignments allow for it, and also large deviations have also been part of the upgrade process.

The route around the Mittagong area averages around 16,000 vehicles every day, in other sections the number drops off a little or closer to Sydney increases.2

The route forms the Remembrance Driveway which honours war veterans, click here for the Remembrance Driveway web site.

Here are some interesting statistics on the Hume Highway: 1

The Mittagong Bypass is 15 km long.
The Goulburn Bypass is 13 km of concrete dual carriageway.
The Cullerin Range Deviation consists of 34 km of dual carriageway.
17 km of dual carriageways between the Cullerin Range Deviation and the Yass Bypass.
The Yass Bypass, has 15 bridges and 18 km of dual carriageways.
The Jugiong Bypass, features 13 km of dual carriageways.

History (Covers current alignment and previous alignments, which may be now under another route number):

1914: Sydney-Melbourne road (Great South Road) is declared a main road
1928: Sections of Great South Road renamed to Hume Highway
1939: 95% (557 km) of the Hume Highway paved with a bitumous surface. 2
1950s: In 1952, a group of citizens met and formed a committee under Lt-General Sir Frank Berryman to create a national memorial to servicemen by using trees and shrubs as living memorials. The NSW Premier, J J Cahill, officially launched the scheme on 9 December 1953. The Remembrance Driveway project as it was called started on 5 February 1954, when trees were planted at either end of the Driveway at the War Memorial, Canberra, and in Macquarie Place, Sydney, by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. By June 1959, 10,000 trees had been planted. Since then, planting of trees in avenues or groves has continued. When the M5 Motorway replaced the Hume Highway (and also Camden Valley Way) south of Liverpool, it became the focus for planting trees and shrubs in remembrance. 1
1976: Completion of the 8 km Gundagai deviation and bridge over the Murrumbidgee River. 2
March 1977: The 1.1 kilometre Sheahan Bridge over the Murrumbidgee River at Gundagai opened to traffic. 3
1983: The highway between Conroys Gap and Coolac, had most of the earlier alignment replaced.1
May 2009: The duplicated Sheahan Bridge at Gundagai was officially opened by the Federal Minister for Transport. 3
2013: National Highway 31 replaced by M31.

Click here for photos of the former alignment between Yass and Gundagai

Yass to Gundagai		Gundagai to Yass
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign : AD sign approaching Lachlan Valley Way (B81) at Bowning, September 2013. Note the missing B81 route number from the sign, this has since been rectified. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at South Gundagai near Jessops Lagoon Rd approaching the Gocup Rd interchange, October 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign : AD sign approaching Lachlan Valley Way (B81) at Bowning, November 2016. Click here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from September 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Services Sign: Services sign approaching the Gocup Rd interchange at South Gundagai, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Lachlan Valley Way : Hume Hwy (M31) at Bowning at the Lachlan Valley Way (B81) junction, November 2016. Click here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from September 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at South Gundagai approaching Gocup Rd, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bowning, approaching Bowning Rd (former Hume Hwy alignment), November 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Gocup Road: Hume Hwy (M31) at the Gocup Rd interchange, South Gundagai, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Bowning Road: Hume Hwy (M31) at Bowning Rd, Bowning, November 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on the Gocup Rd interchange at South Gundagai, October 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Bowning, approaching Burley Griffin Way (B94), November 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Services Sign & Gocup Road Interchange: Hume Hwy (M31) at the Gocup Rd interchange, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bowning, approaching Burley Griffin Way (B94), November 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on the Gocup Rd interchange at South Gundagai, October 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bowning, approaching Burley Griffin Way (B94), November 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the Gocup Rd interchange at South Gundagai, October 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Burley Griffin Way: Hume Hwy (M31) at Burley Griffin Way (B94), Bowning, November 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at South Gundagai approaching Sherdian St, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Burley Griffin Way: Hume Hwy (M31) at Burley Griffin Way (B94), Bowning, November 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Murrumbidgee River: Sheahans Bridge over the Murrumbidgee River, South Gundagai, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Mount St, South Gundagai approaching Gocup Rd and Hume Hwy (M31) interchange, October 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Sheridan Street: Hume Hwy (M31) at the Sheridan St interchange, Gundagai, October 2013. Image © Paul Rands
			O'Hagan Street: Hume Hwy (M31) as it passes under O'Hagan St (former Safe-T-Cam site) at Gundagai, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			West Street: Hume Hwy (M31) as it passes under West St, Gundagai, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Services Sign: Services sign for the Dog On The Tuckerbox service centre, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Gundagai approaching Annie Pyers Dr (former Hume Hwy), March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Annie Pyers Drive: Corner of Hume Hwy (M31) and Annie Pyers Dr at Gundagai, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing Annie Pyers Dr at Gundagai, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing Annie Pyers Dr at Gundagai, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the heavy vehicle checking station at Coolac, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Start Variable Speed Limit Zone: Hume Hwy at Coolac at the beginning of the variable speed limit zone approaching the heavy vehicle checking station, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the heavy vehicle checking station at Coolac, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Heavy Vehicle Signage: Heavy vehicle signage approaching the heavy vehicle checking station at Coolac, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Default Speed Limit Signs: Default speed limit signage indicating speed limit when variable signs are not working, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Heavy Vehicle Checking Station: Hume Hwy (M31) at the Coolac heavy vehicle checking station, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Heavy Vehicle Checking Station: Hume Hwy (M31) at the Coolac heavy vehicle checking station, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			End Variable Speed Limit Zone: Hume Hwy at Coolac at the end of the variable speed limit zone approaching the heavy vehicle checking station, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Heavy Vehicle Signage: Heavy vehicle signage approaching the heavy vehicle checking station at Coolac, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Coolac Road: Hume Hwy (M31) at the Coolac Rd (former Hume Hwy) interchange at Coolac, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Coolac approaching Muttama Rd interchange, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Services Sign: Services sign approaching Muttama Rd interchange, Coolac, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Coolac approaching Muttama Rd interchange, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Muttama Road: Hume Hwy (M31) at the Muttama Rd interchange, Coolac, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Muttama Road: Hume Hwy (M31) at the Muttama Rd interchange, Coolac, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Coolac, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Tourism Region Distance Sign: Tourism region distance sign at Coolac, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Bypassed Town Sign: Bypassed town sign approaching Harden Rd at Jugiong, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Services Sign: Services sign approaching Harden Rd at Jugiong, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Jugiong approaching Harden Rd interchange, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Harden Road: Hume Hwy (M31) at the Harden Road interchange, Jugiong, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign aat Jugiong, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bookham approaching Illalong Rd and Childowla Rd, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Illalong Road & Childowla Road: ID signs at the corner of Hume Hwy (M31) and Childowla Rd at Bookham, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Services Sign: Services sign approaching Conroy St, Bookham, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Conroy St at Bookham, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Conroy Street: Corner of Hume Hwy (M31) and Conroy St at Bookham, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Conroy Street: Corner of Hume Hwy (M31) and Conroy St at Bookham, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bookham approaching Burrinjuck Rd, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Burrinjuck Road: Corner of Hume Hwy (M31) Burrinjuck Rd, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Conroys Gap: Hume Hwy (M31) as it crosses Conroys Gap at Bowning, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bowning approaching Burley Griffin Way (B94), March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Burley Griffin Way: Corner of Hume Hwy (M31) and Burley Griffin Way (B94) at Bowning, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Bowning, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Services Sign: Services sign at Bowning approaching Bowning Rd, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: Advance directional sign at Bowning approaching Bowning Rd, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Bowning Road: Corner of Hume Hwy (M31) and Bowning Rd at Bowning, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Services Sign: Services sign at Bowning for the Yass Service Centre, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bowning approaching Lachlan Valley Way (B81), March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Bypassed Town Sign: Bypassed town sign at Bowning approaching Yass Valley Way, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Lachlan Valley Way: Hume Hwy (M31) at the junction with Lachlan Valley Way (B81) at Bowning, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Lachlan Valley Way: Hume Hwy (M31) at the junction with Lachlan Valley Way (B81) at Bowning, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Bowning approaching Yass Valley Way, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Services Sign: Services sign at Bowning approaching Yass Valley Way, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bowning approaching Yass Valley Way, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
			Services Sign: Services sign at Bowning for the Yass Service Centre, March 2015. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of M31 between Gundagai and Holbrook Click here for the continuation of M31 between Goulburn and Yass

1 Roads and Maritime Services
2 Department of Main Roads. The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4
3 Roads and Maritime Services, RMS achievements in transport infrastructure projects

Last updated: 15-Feb-2019 15:51

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