Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Pacific Highway, New England Highway, John Renshaw Drive, Southern Freeway, Mount Ousley Road & Princes Highway (National Route 1) (Decommissioned)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Pacific Highway, New England Highway, John Renshaw Drive, Southern Freeway, Mount Ousley Road & Princes Highway (National Route 1) (Decommissioned) - Historic Photos: Gwynneville to Yallah

Statistics:

Length: 1149 km (Gwynneville to Yallah: 18 km)
- Southern section: 481 km
Northern Terminus:
- Southern section: Princes Highway (Metroad 1) at Waterfall
Southern Terminus:
- Southern section: Princes Highway (A1) at New South Wales / Victoria border
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route:
- Southern section: West Wollongong, Figtree, Unanderra, Berkeley, Dapto, Haywoods Bay and Yallah

Route Numbering:

Former:
Road Authority Internal Classification: SH1 (Yallah to NSW-Vic Border), SH9 (Hexham to Beresfield), SH10 (Tweed Heads West to Hexham), 6006 (Waterfall to Bulli Tops and Mt Ousley to Yallah), MR95 (Brokers Nose to Mt Ousley) and MR513 (Bulli Tops to Brokers Nose) 1
Decommissioned: 2013

General Information:

National Route 1 forms part of the main coastal route between Victoria and Queensland. The route features a mix of rural highway, arterial and freeway design standards. The route forms part of what is collectively known as Highway 1. It is Australia's coastal highway joining all mainland's state capitals and coastal towns circumnavigating the entire Australian continent. It is also the longest numbered highway in the world, covering more than 14 500 km.

In New South Wales, National Route 1 was truncated by National Highway 1 between Beresfield and Wahroonga, by Metroad 1 between Wahroonga and Waterfall and by M1 at Tweed Heads West.

Southern Section:

The southern section of National Route 1 is formed by 2 separate sections of the Southern Freeway, linked by dual carriageway Mt Ousley Road. At the end of southern segment of the Southern Freeway, National Route continues as Princes Highway. The route from Kiama to Sydney is a mix of divided road and freeway, the majority of the route from Gerringong to the Victorian border is undivided rural highway standard and undivided urban arterial within some towns, with some dual carriageway sections sporadically placed between Bomaderry and tourist areas immediately south of Nowra.

Southern Freeway & Mount Ousley Road:

The Southern Expressway (later Freeway) and also Mount Ousley Road, ran between Waterfall in Sydney's south, bypassing Wollongong and ending at Yallah, in the Illawarra's southern suburbs. It is the main route between Sydney and Wollongong, and crosses the Illawarra Escarpment to the narrow coastal strip on which most of the Illawarra suburbs are built.

History:

Southern Freeway:

1946: As part of an overall transport improvement plan for the Illawarra, road reservations and planning put in place for "motorway bypass routes" between Bulli and North Wollongong, and bypassing Wollongong CBD through to south of Dapto. The bypass routes were eventually constructed as Northern Distributor (now Memorial Drive) and Southern Freeway. 2
1951: Space reserved in the County of Cumberland Planning Scheme for construction of the Southern Freeway (F6). 3
1959: Work commenced on the construction of a deviation of the Princes Highway to form a by-pass of the Wollongong CBD. The deviation commenced at North Wollongong and rejoined the Princes Highway a little south of the junction of the Mt. Keira Road and the Princes Highway. The deviation was setup a restricted access road, and eventually formed part of the Southern Freeway and Northern Distributor (now Memorial Drive). 4
1961: Completion of Wollongong CBD Bypass (now Memorial Drive and Southern Freeway) between Foleys Lane (now University Av) at North Wollongong and Phillips Avenue at West Wollongong. 5
1962: Southern Expressway open to traffic to the interchange with Phillips Avenue and Robsons Road at West Wollongong. 6
1966: Duplication of the carriageway of the section of the north-south arterial road (now Southern Freeway) between North Wollongong and Ghosts Creek to provide a four lane divided carriageway. Work begins on the construction of dual carriageway from the Princes Highway at Ghosts Creek, West Wollongong to Gladstone Avenue, Figtree. 7
1967: Work started on the Ghosts Creek Interchange on Princes Highway at West Wollongong. 8
1968: Completion of Ghosts Creek Bridge over North-South Arterial Road (later Southern Freeway). 9
1970: Construction commenced on the section of Southern Expressway between Gladstone Avenue, Figtree and Five Islands Road, Unanderra. Bridges were required at five sites along this section. Completion of a pedestrian bridge over the Southern Expressway at Byarong Avenue, Mangerton. A new six-span prestressed concrete footbridge. 315 feet long. Work started on a single span reinforced and pre-stressed concrete bridge at The Avenue at Figtree. The bridge is 227 feet long and designed to provide five traffic lanes. Work commenced on a reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge to carry the future route of Masters Road over the Southern Expressway at Mt St Thomas. The bridge is 262 feet long and provided two traffic lanes. Work began on twin three-span prestressed concrete bridges to carry the Southern Expressway over the current route of Five Islands Road at Unanderra. The bridges are 230 feet long and were designed for two lanes for southbound traffic and three lanes for northbound traffic. 10
1972: Work on extending Southern Expressway from Gladstone Avenue, Figtree, to Northcliffe Drive, Berkeley. Completion of a single span reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge to carry The Avenue over the Southern Expressway at Figtree. The structure is 227 feet long and provides five traffic lanes and one footway. Completion of a two span reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge to carry the now current route of Masters Road over the Southern Expressway at Figtree. The structure is 262 feet long and provided two traffic lanes. Completion of three bridges to carry the Southern Expressway and an unloading ramp over the AIS (Australian Iron & Steel) Railway and Access Road at Unanderra, the twin bridges carrying the Expressway are each 195 feet long and designed to provide six traffic lanes. The third bridge carrying the ramp is 183 feet long and provides two traffic lanes. Completion of twin three span prestressed concrete bridges to carry the Southern Expressway over the current route of Five Islands Road at Unanderra. The structures are each 230 feet long and together they're designed to provide five traffic lanes. Construction commenced on a three span composite steel and prestressed concrete bridge to carry Berkley Road over the Southern Expressway at Unanderra. The structure is 217 feet long and provides two traffic lanes and one footway. Construction started on a three span composite steel and prestressed concrete bridge to carry Flagstaff Road over the Southern Expressway. The structure is 217 feet long and provides two traffic lanes and one footway. 11
1973: Construction of a three span composite steel and pre stressed concrete bridge to carry Berkeley Road over the Southern Freeway was completed. The structure, 217 feet long, provides two traffic lanes and one footway. Construction of a three span composite steel and pre stressed concrete bridge to carry Flagstaff Road over the Southern Freeway was completed. The structure, 217 feet long, provides two traffic lanes and one footway. 12
1974: The section of the Southern Freeway approximately 3.2 km in length between five Islands Road and Northcliffe Drive was opened to traffic. A two span prestressed concrete bridge was completed to carry the southbound carriageway of Princes Highway over the Southern Freeway at Waterfall. The structure is 112 metres long and provides two traffic lanes. Work was completed on a single span prestressed concrete bridge to carry The Avenue, over the Southern Freeway at Figtree. The structure is 70 metres long and provides five traffic lanes and one footway. Work started on twin three span prestressed concrete bridges to carry the Southern Freeway over the access road from Gladstone Avenue to Herne Estate, Figtree. Each structure will are 30 metres long and provide space three traffic lanes. Channelisation of junctions with Five Islands Road and onloading southbound ramp for F6 Southern Freeway at Unanderra and also Northcliffe Drive and onloading northbound ramp and offloading southbound ramp for F6 Southern Freeway at Berkeley. 13
1975: Work commenced on the 6.1 km long section of the Southern Freeway, extending south from Northcliffe Drive, Berkeley to Kanahooka Road, Dapto which will included bridges over Mullet Creek. To carry Masters Road over the Southern Freeway at Figtree a two span prestressed concrete girder bridge was completed. The structure is 80 metres long and provides two traffic lanes. Twin three span prestressed concrete girder bridges to carry Southern Freeway over Five Islands Road at Unanderra were completed. Each structure is 70 metres long and provides two traffic lanes. Twin three span prestressed concrete box girder bridges to carry Southern Freeway over the Australian Iron and Steel Railway Siding at Unanderra were completed. Each structure is 61 metres long and provides four traffic lanes. 14
23 June 1975: A 1.9 km length of Southern Freeway, between Gladstone Avenue, Figtree and Five Islands Road, Unanderra was opened to traffic. Each end of the work was connected to the local street system. During the construction of this length eleven structures were built and the Byarong Creek channel was diverted into American Creek. 14
1976: Construction started on twin ten span prestressed concrete bridges to carry the Southern Freeway over Mullet Creek, at Kembla Grange. Each structure is 250 m long and provides four traffic lanes. Work commenced on a two span reinforced concrete bridge to carry Harvey Street over the Southern Freeway at Dapto. The structure is 46.9 m long and provides two traffic lanes and two footways. Work commenced on twin three span prestressed concrete bridges over Northcliffe Drive at Berkeley. Each new structure will be 67.2 m long and will provide four traffic lanes. 15
1977: Work proceeded on the section of Southern Freeway between Northcliffe Drive at Berkeley and Kanahooka Road, Dapto including the approaches to the new Mullet Creek bridges and the bridges over Northcliffe Drive. Completion of twin 10 span prestressed concrete voided slab deck bridges over Mullet Creek at Kembla Grange. Each structure is 250 m long and provides three traffic lanes. Completion of twin three span prestressed concrete voided slab deck bridges over Northcliffe Drive at Berkeley. Each structure is 67.2 m long and provides three traffic lanes. 16

This page concentrates on historic photos between Gwynneville and Yallah

Preview:	Description:
	Wollongong Bypass: Part of the alternative route to the Princes Highway being built to bypass the shopping and business centre of Wollongong may be seen passing from the left-hand side to the centre of the photograph. The new road is being built to expressway standards and bridges have been constructed to carry streets over the new road. 1963. Image © Department of Main Roads
	Princes Highway & Bypass: Junction of the Princes Hwy (near Ghosts Ck) with the southern end of the alternative route to bypass the shopping and business centre of Wollongong. 1963. Image © Department of Main Roads
	Wollongong Bypass: The alternative route to the Princes Highway constructed to bypass the shopping and business centre of Wollongong is shown on the left of the photograph. The bypass, built to expressway standards, is two miles in length and will ultimately form part of a new north-south arterial road to be constructed from Thirroul to Dapto and beyond. 1964. Image © Department of Main Roads
	West Wollongong: An aerial view of the section of the North-South Arterial Road between Ghosts Creek and North Wollongong, bypassing the central business district of Wollongong. 1965. Image © Department of Main Roads
	Extension Construction: Construction in progress on the extension of the North-South Arterial Road (West Wollongong) between Ghosts Creek and Gladstone Avenue Fig Tree, 1967. Image © Department of Main Roads
	Princes Highway: Princes Hwy interchange (Ghosts Creek Bridge) at West Wollongong, 1968. Image © Department of Main Roads
	Ghosts Creek Bridge: Landscaping of the grassed slopes adjacent to the Southern Expressway at Wollongong has included the planting of many trees and shrubs. 1971. Image © Department of Main Roads
	Gladstone Avenue: Aerial shot over Gladstone Avenue at Figtree, 1972. In the foreground is construction of The Avenue bridge and in the background one of several bridges that form the Masters Road interchange. Image © Department of Main Roads
	Mullet Creek: Construction of bridge over Mullet Creek on a deviation of the Princes Highway between Kembla Grange and Dapto, 1972. This has since been bypassed by the Southern Freeway. Image © Department of Main Roads
	Berkeley Road: Overlooking the Southern Fwy at the Berkeley Rd overpass at Unanderra, 1974. Image © Department of Main Roads
	The Avenue & Masters Road: Aerial shot over The Avenue bridge and in the background the Masters Road interchange, shown temporarily connected to Gladstone Avenue, Figtree, 1975. Image © Department of Main Roads
	Princes Highway: Southern Expwy (NR1 / F6) at Princes Hwy (ALT-NR1) interchange (Ghosts Ck Bridge) at West Wollongong, 1979. Image © Department of Main Roads

1 Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads and State & Regional Roads, 31 January 2011
2 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1945-46
3 Parsons Brinckerhoff, F6 Corridor Public Transport Use Assessment Final Draft Report, September 2004
4 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1958-59
5 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1960-61
6 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1961-62
7 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1965-66
8 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1966-67
9 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1967-68
10 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1969-70
11 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1971-72
12 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1972-73
13 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1973-74
14 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1974-75
15 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1976-77
16 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1977-78

Last updated: 28-Jan-2018 12:09

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