Expressway - The Australian Highway Site: Road Photos & Information: SA: M1 / A1 / B1 / R1 (Crafers to Adelaide)

Road Photos & Information: South Australia

Princes Highway, South Eastern Freeway, Glen Osmond Road, City Ring Route, Main North Road, Port Wakefield Road, Port Wakefield Highway, Augusta Highway and Eyre Highway (M1 / A1 / B1 / R1)

Crafers to Adelaide

Statistics:

Length:: 1729 km (Crafers to Adelaide: 11 km); Eastern: SA-VIC border, Glenburnie; Western: SA-WA border, Border Village
Miscellaneous:: Continues as Princes Hwy (A1) in Victoria and continues as Eyre Hwy (NH1) in Western Australia
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:: Crafers West, Leawood Gardens, Mount Osmond, Urrbrae, Glen Osmond, Myrtle Bank, Glenunga, Frewville, Fullarton, Eastwood and Parkside

Route Numbering:

Current: M1
Former: M1 1 1
Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹: 04500 (Tailem Bend to Glen Osmond)

General Information:

Highway 1 runs right around Australia, however with the introduction of alphanumeric routes, highway 1 takes on all different identifications depending on its importance and road design.

Princes Highway and South Eastern Freeway (M1, A1 and B1):

The Princes Highway links Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The highway was first proclaimed from Sydney to Melbourne in the 1920s, it was later extended through western Victoria and eventually to Adelaide.

Towns along this section of Highway include Mount Gambier, Millicent, Kingston SE, Meningie, Tailem Bend, Murray Bridge, Nairne, Mount Barker and Adelaide. The route varies from 2 lane rural highway standard to full freeway standard and includes the Adelaide-Crafers Freeway which features twin-tube 600 metre tunnels, which descend the Mt Lofty Ranges by 430 metres over a distance of 10 kilometres. ²

History:

Princes Highway:: 1938: Mount Barker Rd renamed Princes Hwy.; 1950s: Duplication of highway between Glen Osmond and Crafers.; 1955: National Route 1 shield implemented.; 1996: Construction commences on the 500 metre long Heysen Tunnels / Adelaide to Crafers Freeway, rerouting the Princes Hwy. The tunnels are named after artist Sir Hans Heysen.; 1998: National Highway 1 replaced by M1.; August 1998: Workers cut through the Adelaide-bound tunnel. ³; 5 March 2000: Adelaide to Crafers Fwy opens to traffic, the largest road construction project in South Australia's history. ⁴ The tunnels were opened by the Prime Minister John Howard. ³

Crafers to Glen Osmond

Old Tollhouse:

Old sandstone tollhouse on Princes Hwy at Glen Osmond. December 2003. The old tollhouse serviced the road from Adelaide to Mount Barker, which was surveyed and constructed in 1841, allowing settlement in the Adelaide Hills. The toll house was established at Glen Osmond to toll the road, to pay for its upkeep and maintenance. However, the state of the road was poor and public backlash caused the removal of the tolls in 1847 after the Government refused to upgrade it any further. The site contains one of the original toll gates and was place on the Register of the National Estate in 1978. ⁵

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on South Eastern Fwy (M1) at Urrbrae, approaching Glen Osmond Rd (A1), Cross Rd (A13) and Portrush Rd (A17), December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Glen Osmond to Crafers

Advance Directional Sign:

Small AD sign on Glen Osmond Rd (A1) approaching Bevington Rd and Conyngham St at Frewville, May 2013.

Image © Terry Siva

Advance Directional Sign:

Advance directional sign on Glen Osmond Rd (A1) approaching the intersection with Fullarton Rd (B28) in Eastwood, June 2007. The A1 shown on the bottom panel of the sign is incorrect.

Image © Darrin Smith

Old Tollhouse:

Old sandstone tollhouse on Princes Hwy at Glen Osmond. September 2009. The old tollhouse serviced the road from Adelaide to Mount Barker, which was surveyed and constructed in 1841, allowing settlement in the Adelaide Hills. The toll house was established at Glen Osmond to toll the road, to pay for its upkeep and maintenance. However, the state of the road was poor and public backlash caused the removal of the tolls in 1847 after the Government refused to upgrade it any further. The site contains one of the original toll gates and was place on the Register of the National Estate in 1978. ⁵

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Reassurance directional sign at Glen Osmond. July 2014.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Distance Sign:

Looking southwest on South Eastern Fwy (M1) at Glen Osmond. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Glen Osmond:

South Eastern Fwy (M1) as it passes through Glen Osmond, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Mount Osmond for the Mount Osmond Road interchange. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Tourist orientated supplemental AD sign at Mount Osmond near the Mount Osmond Road interchange. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Mt Osmond Rd Interchange:

Looking northeast at Mt Osmond at the Mt Osmond Road. September 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Mount Osmond:

View of South Eastern Fwy (M1) from Mt Osmond Rd overpass at Mt Osmond, December 2003.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign for Mt Barker Road (former Princes Highway) at Mt Osmond. September 2009.

Mt Barker Road Interchange:

Looking east at Mt Osmond at the Mt Barker Rd interchange. September 2009.

Overheight Warning Sign:

Sign at Mt Osmond just before the Heysen Tunnels, which is connected to sensors that detect the heights of vehicles. When they exceed the pre-determined height the sign flashes. September 2009.

Heysen Tunnels:

The northwestern portals to the Heysen Tunnels at Mt Osmond. September 2009.

Outbound Tunnel Portal:

Entrance to the outbound tunnel at Mt Osmond. September 2009.

Inside the Heysen Tunnels:

Inside outbound tunnel of the Heysen Tunnels under Mt Osmond. September 2009.

Click or tap here for the continuation of the route as R1 in Central Adelaide
Click or tap here for the continuation of M1 between Mount Barker and Crafers

¹ SA Government, Location SA Map Viewer.
² SA Government, Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Completed projects, The Adelaide Crafers Highway Project.
³ RoadTechnology.com, Adelaide Crafers Highway.
⁴ Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. ⁵ Waymarking, Toll House, Mount Barker Rd, Glen Osmond, South Australia.