Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Motorway Link & Pacific Highway (State Route 111)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Motorway Link & Pacific Highway (State Route 111) - Charlestown To Hexham (Decommissioned)

Statistics:

Length: 67 km
Northern Terminus: Pacific Hwy / New England Hwy (NR1) at Hexham
Southern Terminus: Sydney-Newcastle Fwy (NH1) at Wallarah, near Doyalson
Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Wallarah, Blue Haven, Doyalson, Lake Munmorah, Swansea, Blacksmiths, Pelican, Belmont, Gateshead, Charlestown, Adamstown Heights, Merewether, Hamilton, Mayfield, Sandgate and Hexham

Route Numbering:

Formerly:
Road Authority Internal Classification: Main Road 675 (Motorway Link) and State Highway 10 (Pacific Highway)
Decommissioned: 2013

General Information:

SR111 is the former route of National Route 1 through the Hunter region. The section south of Swansea was also briefly part of the National Highway system and signed as NH1. The Motorway Link section of SR111 between Wallarah and Doyalson is super 2 expressway standard with a grade separated interchange with Tooheys Road. The rest is mostly dual carriageway highway or urban arterial road standard (either divided or undivided).

The route passes through mostly suburbia, although there are some nature reserves scattered along the southern section of the route. The route is the main arterial through suburban Newcastle and its southern suburbs, connecting eventually with the NSW Central Coast at Doyalson.

The Pacific Hwy section of SR111 features the Swansea Bridge spanning the entrance to Lake Macquarie. More than 27,000 road vehicles use the bridge each day. The bridge opens about 2000 times each year, and around five to six times per day, allowing up to 4500 boats to pass through. The number of openings is significant when you compare Swansea Bridge to other similar opening bridges in NSW eg the Spit Bridge in Sydney opens eight times each day during the summer, allowing more than 100 boats per day to pass, and the Harwood Bridge north of Grafton opens around 200 times a year. 2

History:

1880s: The original Swansea channel crossing, which was a drawbridge, was built. 2
1909: Swansea drawbridge was replaced with a bridge which incorporated a roadway, later to become the Pacific Highway. 2
1931: In May, after pressure from the Queensland Government, the coastal highway linking Sydney and Brisbane was named Pacific Hwy.
1944: Styx Creek Bridge widened. 2
1948: Proposal of the replacement existing Swansea Bridge with a new one featuring a new opening span, south of Newcastle. 2
1955: The northbound bridge of the Swansea Bridge was opened. 2
1956: Permanent vehicle weighing station established by the DMR at Hexham where the Pacific Highway met the New England Highway (since removed). 3
1983: Sydney-Newcastle Fwy from Somersby to Wallarah Ck opens, which is connected to Motorway Link and both roads signposted as NH1. 4
1987: Sydney-Newcastle Fwy extension from Wallarah Ck to Morisett opens, NH1 is rerouted onto that extension. 4
1989: The duplicated section (southbound carriageway) of the Swansea Bridge was opened. 2

Charlestown to Hexham		Hexham to Charlestown
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Approaching Northcott Dr: AD sign for the Northcott Drive intersection at Adamstown Heights, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: Reassurance sign near the Old Maitland Rd intersection at Hexham, after the big Pacific Hwy / New England Hwy intersection. August 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Northcott Dr Junction: Northbound thru the Northcott Drive intersection at Adamstown Heights, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Entering Sandgate: Pacific Hwy (SR111) as it enters the suburb Sandgate, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign after the Northcott Drive intersection at Adamstown Heights. December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: Eastbound on Pacific Hwy at Sandgate approaching Wallsend Road (SR123). August 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Northbound through Hamilton Sth approaching Glebe Rd & Railway St, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Wallsend Road Intersection: Eastbound at the Wallsend Rd intersection at Sandgate, August 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the Gordon Av intersection in Hamilton Sth, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the junction with Wallsend Rd (SR123) at Sandgate, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign as you drive through Hamilton Sth, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Wallsend Road Intersection: Eastbound at the Wallsend Rd intersection at Sandgate, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: Large AD sign assembly next to Dumaresq Street in Hamilton East for the King Street junction. December 2006. Note the old milepost below the sign. The 'N' is for Newcastle, distance 2 miles. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at Wallsend Rd (SR123) at Sandgate, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: Large overhead AD sign approaching Hunter Street in Hamilton, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: Eastbound RD sign after the Wallsend Rd intersecton at Sandgate. August 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	AD Sign: Advance directional sign approaching Tudor Street at Hamilton. December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Entering Mayfield West: Pacific Hwy (SR111) as it enters the suburb of Mayfield West, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Tudor St Intersection: Westbound through Hamilton at the Tudor St intersection, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: Massive AD sign over the eastbound carriageway of the Pacific Hwy as it approaches Industrial Dr (SR124) at Mayfield West. August 2011. Image © Paul RandsETE
	Beaumont St Intersection: Northbound on Beaumont Street in Islington at the Pacific Hwy intersection, May 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Industrial Drive Intersection: Approaching Industrial Dr (SR124) at Mayfield West. August 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Styx Creek: Westbound over Styx Creek at Islington, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Mayfield West, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering Mayfield: Westbound as you cross the railway line at Mayfield, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Mayfield West approaching Werribi St and Maud St, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the Maud Street intersection, westbound at Mayfield West. December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the intersection with Werribi St and Maud St, Mayfield West, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Industrial Drive AD Sign: AD sign for Industrial Drive (SR124) at Warabrook. December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the intersection with Werribi St and Maud St, Mayfield West, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: Westbound through Warabrook, after the Industrial Dr intersection, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Entering Mayfield: Pacific Hwy (SR111) as it enters the suburb of Mayfield, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Wallsend Road: Westbound approaching Wallsend Road at Sandgate, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Hanbury Street: Corner of Pacific Hwy (SR111) and Hanbury St, Mayfield, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign after the Wallsend Road intersection at Sandgate, December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Signs: ID signs at the corner of Pacific Hwy (SR111) and Hanbury St, Mayfield, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Diagrammatic AD Sign: Westbound advance directional sign for the NR1 segment of the Pacific Hwy and NH1 segment of New England Hwy. Hexham, December 2006. The NH15 shield is in error. NH15 hasn't met this junction for several years. Image © Paul Rands		Islington: Pacific Hwy (SR111) as it enters the suburb of Islington, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	NR1 Interchange: Intersection directional sign and slip lane to the Pacific Highway at Hexham, near Old Maitland Road, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Newcastle West: Pacific Hwy (SR111) as it enters Newcastle West, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Pacific Highway / New England Highway Junction: Westbound at Hexham as the SR111 segment of the Pacific Hwy ends. December 2006. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Tudor St (SR128) and Railway St at Newcastle West, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Remnant NR1 Trailblazer: NR1 trailblazer at Newcastle West, leftover from when Pacific Hwy was designated as NR1 through this location, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Tudor Street & Railway Street: Corner of Pacific Hwy (SR111), Tudor St (SR128) and Railway St at Newcastle West, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Stewart Avenue & Hunter Street: Pacific Hwy (SR111) at the junction with Stewart Av (SR124) and Hunter St in Newcastle West, April 2011. SR111 turns right at this location. Image © Paul Rands
			Stewart Avenue & Hunter Street: Pacific Hwy (SR111) at the junction with Stewart Av (SR124) and Hunter St in Newcastle West, April 2011. SR111 turns right at this location. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign westbound on Hunter St, Newcastle West, approaching Pacific Hwy (SR111) and Stewart Av (SR124), April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			King Street: Corner of Pacific Hwy (SR111) and King St, Newcastle West, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Hamilton East: Pacific Hwy (SR111) as it enters the suburb of Hamilton East, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Hamilton East, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Hamilton South: Pacific Hwy (SR111) as it enters the suburb of Hamilton South, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Hamilton South approaching Glebe Rd, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Merewether: Pacific Hwy (SR111) as it enters the suburb of Merewether, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Merewether, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Adamstown Heights approaching Brunker Road, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Brunker Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (SR111) and Brunker Rd, Adamstown Heights, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Adamstown Heights approaching Northcott Dr, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Kahibah Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (SR111) and Kahibah Rd at Highfields, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Highfields: Pacific Hwy (SR111) as it enters the suburb of Highfields, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Highfields, April 2011. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of the Pacific Hwy as NR1 Click here for the continuation of SR111 between Charlestown and Swansea

1 Newcastle Cty Council
2 Roads & Traffic Authority
3 Dept of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1956, p 62
4 Wyong Shire, Celebrating 60 Years publication, 2007

Last updated: 12-Sep-2020 15:33

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