Freeways in Australia

This is a list of freeways (or motorways/expressways) in Australia, sorted by states and territories and their corresponding routes. This list includes tollways / toll roads such as the CityLink freeway system in Melbourne. This list has over 70 entries. The only jurisdiction in Australia without freeways is the Northern Territory. Victoria has the largest and densest freeway network in Australia.

Australian Capital Territory

Tuggeranong Parkway

Canberra region

Other Freeways

New South Wales

New South Wales has the second largest number and second highest density of motorways in Australia, with the majority being located in Sydney City or the metropolitan areas.

Sydney region (Urban Motorways)

General Holmes Drive
Sydney Harbour Tunnel

Rural region (Rural Motorways)

M31 Hume Highway near Gundagai
M1 Pacific Motorway north of the Hawkesbury River

Under construction

  • NorthConnex (Major multibillion-dollar tollway/tunnel, connecting the M1 Pacific Motorway to M2 Hills Motorway) - To be Complete by 2019.
  • WestConnex (Major multibillion-dollar tollway/tunnels, connecting the M4 Western Motorway to A4 Western Distributor and M5 East) - To be Complete by 2023.

In planning

Queensland

Brisbane region

  • Deagon Deviation

Gold Coast region

Sunshine Coast region

Townsville region

Under construction

(Helidon Spa to Charlton) (Charlton to Athol)

South Australia

In South Australia, expressway may refer to a controlled access highway with no at-grade intersections or a limited access road of slightly lower standard with at-grade intersections at some locations. Currently there are three constructed expressways within Adelaide.

Under construction

  • Northern Connector (proposed new road connecting the M2 North-South Motorway to M20 Max Fatchen Expressway) - Major construction commenced in 2016 and is due to be complete by the end of 2019.
  • River Torrens to Torrens Road upgrade of 4km of South Road due to be complete by the end of 2018.[1]
  • Darlington Upgrade of 3.3km of South Road due to be complete in 2019.

Tasmania

The Brooker Highway at Claremont

While the overall quality of Tasmania's highway network has been constructed to a high standard, its grade separated freeway network is limited. In the past, Hobart and Launceston have each had comprehensive transport studies conducted, proposing grade separated freeways running through and around them. While some of these roads have been constructed, the majority are limited access featuring at-grade intersections. Devonport and Burnie are the only major population centres with freeway standard roads linking each other. There has been repeated proposals in recent years to fully upgrade the Midland Highway to grade separated freeway standards.[2][3]
This List is limited to Tasmania's freeway-standard roads.

Hobart region

The Tasman Highway approaching the Hobart city centre

Rural region

Victoria

Victoria has the largest number and highest density of freeways in Australia, with the majority being located in Melbourne City or the metropolitan areas.

The reason behind Victoria having a high density of arterial roads, highways and freeways, is due to most of Australia having a low population density over a large area, where towns are sparse or located a significant distance from each other; but with Victoria having towns located throughout the entire state, with large numbers of inhabitants, in both urban and rural areas (many of which are major) such as Ballarat or Bendigo.

Princes Freeway at Lara
Eastern Freeway, looking towards Melbourne city[4]
The Calder Freeway. Inbound (Melbourne-bound) carriageway, approaching Mount Macedon and its exit.
West Gate Freeway, approaching the CityLink toll section in Melbourne.
The Deer Park Bypass section of the Western Freeway, inbound approaching the Western Ring Road junction.

Melbourne region (Urban freeways)

  • Speed limit varies between 60 km/h and 100 km/h.

Rural region (Rural freeways)

  • Speed limit varies between 100 km/h and 110 km/h.

Note: 'East' and 'West' sections are officially part of the same freeway and route corridor.

Under construction

  • Princes Highway Duplication (Winchelsea to Colac) - Expected to be Complete by mid 2019.
  • Princes Highway Duplication (Traralgon to Sale) - Expected to be Complete by mid 2019.
  • West Gate Tunnel (Major multibillion-dollar tollway/tunnel, connecting the M1 West Gate Freeway to M2 Citylink) - Currently in Planning Phase - Expected to be complete in 2022.
  • Western Highway Duplication (Buangor to Stawell) - Currently Suspended, Commenced Construction in 2017

In planning

  • North East Link (Major multibillion-dollar tollway/tunnel, connecting the M80 Ring Road to M3 Eastern Freeway) - Currently in Planning Phase - To be Complete by 2027.

Western Australia

Perth region

Under construction

  • Swan Valley Freeway (Tonkin and Reid Interchange to Great Northern Highway at Muchea)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Project Scope". T2T Alliance. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  2. ↑ "Plan for four-lane Midland Highway". The Examiner. December 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  3. ↑ "Abbott Doorstop in Launceston - Midland Highway upgrade". Liberal Party of Australia. February 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  4. ↑ "PTUA - 'The Alternative to Melbourne's Freeway Explosion'". Retrieved 2007-07-26.
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