Freeways in Australia
This is a list of freeways (or motorways/expressways) or freeway grade roads 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 120 entries. The jurisdiction in Australia without freeways is the Northern Territory and Jervis Bay Territory. New South Wales has the largest and densest freeway network in Australia followed by Victoria and then Queensland
Australian Capital Territory
Canberra region
.
Other Freeways (No Route Number)
New South Wales
New South Wales has the largest number and highest density of motorways in Australia, with the majority being located in Sydney City or the metropolitan areas.
Metropolitan Sydney region (Urban Motorways)
- Speed limit varies between 60 km/h and 110 km/h.
(Formerly )
- Gore Hill Freeway
- Warringah Freeway
- Sydney Harbour Tunnel (tolled for southbound traffic)
- Cahill Expressway
- Eastern Distributor (tolled for northbound traffic)
- Southern Cross Drive
- General Holmes Drive, the Airport Tunnel
(Formerly )
- Lane Cove Tunnel (tolled)
- M2 Hills Motorway (tolled from Western Sydney Orbital, Blacktown to Lane Cove Road)
(Formerly )
- Mona Vale Rd (St Ives to Belrose, freeways grade road)
- Homebush Bay Drive (Freeway grade for southbound only)
(Formerly ) (Fully from 2023)
- M4 Western Motorway (tolled east of Church Street, Parramatta)
- M4 East (tolled)
- Rozelle Interchange (Opening 2023)
- Anzac Bridge
- Western Distributor Freeway
- Bradfield Highway (Sydney) (toll)
(Formerly )
- M5 South-West Motorway (tolled East of Heathcote Road, Liverpool and on Belmore Road Exit)
- M5 East Motorway (tolled)
(Formerly )
- Alfords Point Road - This road if fully freeway grade with 3 lanes each way and grade separated intersections
- Southconnex - under construction (opening 2024)
- Westlink M7 Motorway (tolled)
(Formerly )
(Formerly )
- The Northern Road
(Oran Park to Bringelly, freeway grade road as part of the Northern Road Upgrades)
(Formerly )
- James Ruse Drive (North of Hassall Street)
- Gladesville Bridge, Hunters Hill - This route was built as part of the F3 but cancelled.
(Formerly )
- M31 Hume Motorway (Urban Motorway from M5/M7 up to Berrima)
- Warringah Road Underpass
No route number
- Cross City Tunnel (tolled)
- NorthConnex (tolled)
Freeway Grade Roads
- Burns Bay Road (South of Lane Cove West) - This route was built as part of the F3 but cancelled.
- Captain Cook Bridge, New South Wales - The only bit of F6 inside Sydney as a proposed extension but cancelled[1]
- Syd Einfield Road (The only part of F7)
Hunter and Central Coast region (Rural and Urban Motorways)
- Speed limit varies between 60 km/h and 110 km/h.
(Formerly )
- M1 Pacific Motorway (Sydney to Newcastle) (Formerly known as the )
(Formerly )
(Formerly )
- Teal Street and Stockton Bridge (Freeway Grade Road)[2][3]
- Nelson Bay Road - 30% of this road is freeway grade (See full freeway grade route here)
(Formerly )
New England Highway (Maitland–Hexham)
Motorway Link road ( only, not part of )
Pacific Highway ( only, not part of ) - See full freeway route here
South Coast region (Rural and Urban Motorways)
(Formerly )
- M1 Princes Motorway (Formerly known as the )
(Formerly )
(Formerly ) Memorial Drive (Wollongong) - Most of this road is freeway grade[4] - (The south 4km of the road and the north 3km of the road are, the central bit isn't though)
(Formerly )
Princes Highway, 16% of which is of motorway or dual carriageway standard.
Rural region (Rural Motorways)
- Speed limit varies between 60 km/h and 110 km/h.
- Pacific Motorway (Northern NSW, from Ballina to QLD border)
- Pacific Highway, 90% of which is of motorway or dual carriageway standard.
- M1 Pacific Motorway (Grafton Bypass)
- Pacific Motorway, Newly opened in 2018 (Sancrox to Raleigh)
( - from 2023)
- Barton Highway - 21% of which is of motorway or dual carriageway standard, with the remainder under construction and proposed for completion by the end of 2023. See freeway route here
- M31 Hume Motorway (This is mainly an urban motorway but bits of it are rural)
- Hume Highway, 100% of which is dual carriageway standard.
Under construction
- M1 Princes Motorway Extension
- Pacific Motorway
- WestConnex Stage 3 (Major multibillion-dollar tollway/tunnels, connecting the M4 East to A4 Western Distributor and M5 East) - To be completed by 2023.
- Sydney Gateway (Connecting Sydney Airport to the St Peters Interchange and WestConnex)
- Barton Highway duplication project (To be Completed by mid 2023)
- Newcastle Inner City Bypass Stage 5
In planning
- M1 Pacific Motorway Extension
- Newcastle Bypass
- M1 Coffs Harbour Bypass
- Southconnex - M6 Motorway (Sydney)(F6 extension) - To be Complete by 2024.
- Western Harbour Tunnel & Beaches Link (Major multibillion-dollar tollway/tunnels, connecting WestConnex with the Gore Hill Freeway and Northern Beaches)
- Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade
- Western Sydney Airport Motorway (Major multimillion-dollar motorway, connecting the future Western Sydney Airport to the Westlink M7 Motorway)
Northern Territory
While the Northern Territory doesn't have any official freeways, parts of the Stuart Highway and the Tiger Brennan Drive are freeway grade roads with grade separate intersections.
See full freeway route here
- Stuart Highway
- Tiger Brennan Drive
Queensland
Brisbane region
- Bruce Highway (Bald Hills to Kybong)
- Gateway Motorway (Eight Mile Plains to Bald Hills)
- Pacific Motorway (NSW/QLD Border to Eight Mile Plains)
- Ipswich Motorway (Goodna to Dinmore)
- Warrego Highway (Dinmore to Muirlea)
- Logan Motorway ( Gailes to Drewvale, Electronically Tolled)
- Gateway Motorway ( Drewvale to Eight Mile Plains, Electronically Tolled)
- Logan Motorway (Drewvale to Loganholme, Electronically Tolled)
- Ipswich Motorway (Goodna to Rocklea)
- Airport Link Tunnel ( Electronically Tolled)
- Clem Jones Tunnel (Clem7) ( Electronically Tolled)
- Mt Lindesay Highway (Freeway grade from Drewvale to North MacLean - see full route here)
Regional Queensland
- Toowoomba Bypass
- Warrego Highway (Helidon Spa to Charlton; / Helidon Spa to Mort Street Electronically tolled)
- Gore Highway (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.
Unlike some other states, South Australia only uses the 'M' designation on grade separated freeways
- Northern Expressway
- North–South Motorway (incomplete, under construction in stages)
- Southern Expressway
- Salisbury Highway - freeway grade from Port Wakefield Road to North–South Motorway
- Gawler Bypass - freeway grade road
Under construction
- Southern Expressway: Darlington Upgrade of South Road due to be complete in 2020.
- North–South Motorway: Regency Road to Pym Street upgrade of South Road due to be complete in 2022.
Planned/Proposed
- North–South Motorway: River Torrens to Darlington upgrade of South Road under investigation.
Tasmania
While 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 have been repeated proposals in recent years to fully upgrade the Midland Highway to grade-separated freeway standard.[5][6]
This List is limited to Tasmania's freeway-standard roads.
Rural region
- Bass Highway (Burnie to Devonport and Prospect to Illawarra Main Road)
- Midland Highway (South Launceston to Breadalbane)
Victoria
Victoria has the second largest number and second highest density of motorways in Australia (behind New South Wales), with the majority being located in Melbourne City or the metropolitan areas. While most of Australia has a low population density over a large area, where towns are sparse or located a significant distance from each other; Victoria has 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.
Melbourne region (Urban freeways)
- Speed limit varies between 60 km/h and 100 km/h.
- CityLink (Southern Link, Fully electronically tolled)
- Monash Freeway
- Princes Freeway (from Werribee-Main Road or Duncans Road)
- West Gate Freeway
- CityLink (Western Link, Fully electronically tolled)
- Tullamarine Freeway
- Eastern Freeway
- EastLink (Fully electronically tolled)
- Frankston Freeway
- Mordialloc Freeway - Under Construction
- Mornington Peninsula Freeway
- Peninsula Link
Rural region (Rural freeways)
- Speed limit varies between 80 km/h and 110 km/h.
- Princes Freeway (West)
(Melbourne to Werribee section is classified as an 'Urban Freeway'.) - Geelong Ring Road
- Princes Freeway (East)
(Narre Warren to Pakenham section is classified as an 'Urban Freeway'.) - 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.
Note: 'East' and 'West' sections are officially part of the same freeway and route corridor.
- Western Freeway
(Deer Park Bypass section is classified as an 'Urban Freeway'.)
- Hume Freeway
(Lalor to Kalkallo section is classified as an 'Urban Freeway'.)
- Calder Freeway
(Melbourne to Taylors Lakes section is classified as an 'Urban Freeway'.)
Under construction
- Mordialloc Freeway (9km Northern extension of Mornington Peninsula Freeway.) (Major freeway, connecting Springvale Road to Dingley Bypass.) - To be completed by late 2021
- 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
- Mordialloc Freeway (9km Northern extension of Mornington Peninsula Freeway.) (Major freeway, connecting Springvale Road to Dingley Bypass.) - To be completed by late 2021
Western Australia
Western Australia has three freeways – Kwinana Freeway, Mitchell Freeway, and Graham Farmer Freeway – as well as sections of several highways which are subject to control of access[8][9] and only have grade-separated intersections.[10]:3 Such highways may be described as freeway-standard[10][11][12] or expressway-standard.[13][14]
- State Route 2
- Kwinana Freeway[10] (also part of National Route 1 between Leach and Canning Highways)
- Mitchell Freeway[10]
- State Route 3
- Reid Highway (Erindale Road to Altone Road)[10]
- Roe Highway (Morrison Road to Great Eastern Highway Bypass, Great Eastern Highway Bypass to Tonkin Highway, Tonkin Highway to Kwinana Freeway)[10]
- State Route 4
- Tonkin Highway (Great Northern Highway to Hale Road, Mills Road to Champion Drive[10])
- State Route 7
- Leach Highway (Airport Drive to Welshpool Road)[14]
- State Route 8
- National Highway 94
- Great Eastern Highway (The Lakes to Mundaring only)
Under construction
- Mitchell Freeway Extension (Hester Ave to Romeo Road)
- Roe Highway (Kalamunda Road grade separation)
- North Lake Road / Armadale Road upgrade (Kwinana Freeway to Tapper Road)
In planning
- Mitchell Freeway Extension (Romeo Rd to Moore River)[10]
- Roe Highway Extension (Perth Freight Link) (Kwinana Freeway to Stirling Highway)
- Roe Highway upgrade (Kalamunda Road to Great Eastern Highway Bypass, Morrison Road to Great Northern Highway)
- Reid Highway upgrade (Erindale Road to Mitchell Freeway, Altone Road to Great Northern Highway)
- Tonkin Highway upgrade (Hale Road to Mills Road)
- Tonkin Highway upgrade (Champion Drive to Thomas Road)
- Tonkin Highway Extension (Thomas Road to South Western Highway, Pinjarra)
- Bunbury Outer Ring Road (Forrest Highway to Bussell Highway)
- Great Eastern Highway Bypass upgrade (Roe Highway to Great Eastern Highway)
- Perth-Adelaide Highway 'Orange Route' - (Roe Highway, Stratton to Great Eastern Highway, Wundowie)
- Whiteman-Yanchep Highway (Tonkin Highway/Gnangara Road to Mitchell Freeway (proposed)/Yanchep Beach Road)
- Stephenson Freeway (Oceanic Drive, City Beach to Mitchell Freeway, Stirling)
- Fremantle-Rockingham Highway - Upgrade of Stock and Rockingham Roads (Forrest Road/Roe Highway to Naval Base) and Extension (Naval Base to Ennis Avenue, Cooloongup)
See also
References
- "F6 Extension". Roads Australia. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
- "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
- "Plan for four-lane Midland Highway". The Examiner. December 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- "Abbott Doorstop in Launceston - Midland Highway upgrade". Liberal Party of Australia. February 2010. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- "PTUA - 'The Alternative to Melbourne's Freeway Explosion'". Retrieved 26 July 2007.
- Main Roads Western Australia (10 April 2018). "Control of Access". Road Information Mapping. Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Main Roads Western Australia. Road Information Mapping System (Map). Government of Western Australia. Map layer "Control of Access".
- "Managed Freeways Policy Discussion Paper" (PDF). Main Roads Western Australia. June 2012. pp. 3, 25–26. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Main Raods Western Australia (30 November 2018). "News and Information: FAQ's". Northlink WA. Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
Tonkin Highway will be upgraded to freeway-standard
- Luff, Bryce (23 January 2019). "Motorists take to new stretch of highway". PerthNow. Seven West Media. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019. Additional archives: 27 March 2019, 27 March 2019.
- Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities. "Perth Airport Gateway WA". Australian Government. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
upgrade of the Leach Highway to expressway standard
- Seeber, Elisia (13 September 2015). "Grand Gateway to Perth Airport opens". PerthNow. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
Leach Highway has been upgraded to expressway standard