Length:

16 km

Termini:

Eastern: Station St (MR47) and Riversdale Rd (unnumbered) at Box Hill South

Western: Montague St (MR30) and City Rd (MR30), South Melbourne

Miscellaneous:

Declared Names: City Rd, Yarra Bank Hwy, Swan St, Burnley-Kew Rd and Riversdale Rd

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

South Melbourne, Southbank, Melbourne, Cremorne, Richmond, Burnley, Hawthorn, Hawthorn East, Camberwell, Surrey Hills and Box Hill South

Current: 20

Multiplexed with: 21 2

Former: 2 33

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

Arterial 5287 (Melbourne to Burnley)

Arterial 5292 (Hawhtorn to Box Hill)

Arterial 5325 (South Melbourne to Southbank)

Arterial 5856 (Burnley to Hawthorn)

Arterial 6240 (Southbank to Melbourne)

General Information:

Metropolitan Route 20 is an arterial route linking the inner CBD suburbs of Melbourne with the inner eastern suburbs.

The route feautres a tram line along about half of its length, and passes by AAMI Park and the Melbourne Cricket Ground and one of the sites of the 1956 Olympic Games. It also crosses the Yarra River twice.

Metropolitan Route 21, for 500 m, between Burnley and Hawthorn.

Tourist Drive 2 for 1.3 km, between Southbank and Melbourne.

1881: Erection of Wallen Road Bridge by Johnson & Co Tyne Foundry. Known originally as Richmond Park Bridge, then Swan Street Bridge before becoming Wallen Road Bridge.

1916: Wallen Road Bridge, strengthened and widen to allow the inclusion of tram traffic. ²

1936-38: The Wallen Road Bridge was again strengthened. At the same time an additional span was created on the Richmond side to accommodate the Yarra Boulevard (TD2) which was constructed as part of an unemployment relief scheme during the Depression. ²

1946: Construction begins on the Swan Street Bridge. ³

22 August 1952: Opening of Swan Street Bridge by Melbourne City Council. ³

1963: Installation of boom gates at the railway level crossing near Riversdale railway station at Camberwell. The boom gates are unusual because the arms are divided into two sections to enable clearance for the overhead tram wires. ⁴

1989: Introduction of Metropolitan Route 21. ¹

November 2006: Renaming of Swan St between Batman Av and Punt Rd to Olympic Blvd to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Olympic Games, which was held in Melbourne. ⁵

2009: Upgrade of Swan Street Bridge by Cut & Fill civil engineers. The upgrade included underpinning the bridge foundations, replacing approach slabs on the south side and replacing existing expansion joints. The landscaping and retaining walls were also upgraded. ⁶

South Melbourne to Box Hill South

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign with incorrect inverted NH20 shield on City Rd (MR20) approaching Southbank Blvd at Southbank, January 2006.

Image © Tim Cole

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign with variable traffic conditions panel on Alexandra Av (MR20 / TD2) in Melbourne approaching Alexandra Av (TD2) and Swan St (MR20), November 2005. MR20 turns left at this junction.

Image © Rob Tilley

Box Hill South to South Melbourne

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign near Linlithgow St in Melbourne, November 2005.

Image © Rob Tilley