Northern Expressway

The Northern Expressway (route M2; formerly route M20), also known as the Fatchen Northern Expressway,[1][2] is a 23 kilometre long controlled-access highway in Adelaide, South Australia. It travels from Gawler (on National Highway A20, the Sturt Highway) to Port Wakefield Road (on National Highway A1). The road has been built to four-lane standard and provides a faster route between Adelaide and Gawler, whilst reducing the amount of traffic on Main North Road, which passes through the heart of the northern suburbs and is interspersed with frequent traffic lights. It also allows freight vehicles to avoid residential areas and go straight to Port Wakefield Road. Since March 2020, the North–South Motorway continues west of Port Wakefield Road and intersects the Port River Expressway (A9) to reach the harbour at Port Adelaide. These are the northernmost two parts of the North–South Corridor.

For the portion of U.S. Interstate 93 north of Boston also known as Northern Expressway, see Northern Expressway (Massachusetts).

Northern Expressway

Fatchen Northern Expressway

South Australia
The Northern Expressway looking north, halfway along the expressway
Coordinates
General information
TypeFreeway
Length23 km (14 mi)
Opened13 September 2010
Route number(s) M2
Former
route number		 National M20 (2010–2016)
Major junctions
NE end Gawler Bypass Road, Gawler, Adelaide
 
  • Gawler Bypass
  • Port Wakefield Road
SW end North–South Motorway, Waterloo Corner
Location(s)
Major suburbs / townsAngle Vale, Andrews Farm, Macdonald Park, Penfield
Highway system

Cycling is not permitted on the Expressway. The Stuart O'Grady Bikeway is a sealed shared cycling and walking path adjacent to the eastern side of the expressway. The northern end connects to the on-ramp from Two Wells Road to the Gawler Bypass Road, and the southern end is adjacent to Port Wakefield Road at Mill Road.

History

The largest road project undertaken in South Australia in at least sixty years, the expressway was delivered at a cost of approximately A$564 million jointly funded by the South Australian and Commonwealth Governments. The Design and Construct contract was awarded to the Fulton Hogan York Joint Venture, a partnership between trans-Tasman contractor Fulton Hogan and South Australian based York Civil. The design joint venture, managed by Fulton Hogan York Joint Venture consisted of Maunsell, SMEC and Dare Sutton Clark. The work included an 8 km upgrade of the existing Port Wakefield Road. Part of the cost was covered by the AusLink national transport funding.[3]

Construction began in 2008 and the road opened on 13 September 2010.[4]

The interchanges/bridges along the expressway were all named after famous battles in which Australian forces fought, such as Long Tan, Kokoda, Tobruk, Kapyong and Hamel.

In November 2013, one year after the death of prominent South Australian author and journalist Max Fatchen, the Northern Expressway was given the dual name "Fatchen Northern Expressway" in his honour.[1][2]

In December 2019, a Catastrophic bushfire started on the Northern Expressway at Angle Vale, This affected people in Hillier, Munno Para Downs, Kudla, Munno Para West and Gawler.

In February 2020, the on ramp from northbound on Port Wakefield Road was permanently closed. Three weeks later, the Northern Connector project was opened, continuing the freeway south from the Northern Expressway as the North–South Motorway.

Exit list
Looking south along Port Wakefield Road towards the interchange at the start of the Northern Expressway in 2010

Route and Interchange list for Northern Expressway. Distances are calculated from Gawler Bypass end of the Expressway.

LGALocation[5]km[6]miNameDestinationsNotes
LightWard Belt, Reid, Buchfelde0.00.0merges and continues as Gawler Bypass Road (A20) – Nuriootpa, Mildura, Sydney
Buchfelde, Gawler River4.12.5Long TanTwo Wells Road – Two Wells / Gawlerramps on Adelaide side only
Gawler River, Buchfelde, Angle Vale, Hillier5.03.1Gawler River
PlayfordHillier, Munno Para Downs, Angle Vale7.54.7KapyongAngle Vale Road – Angle Vale, Virginia / Evanston
Munno Para West, Andrews Farm, Angle Vale, MacDonald Park10.86.7KokodaCurtis Road – Andrews Farm / Angle Vale
Penfield Gardens, MacDonald Park, Penfield15.19.4TobrukHeaslip Road – Edinburgh
Penfield Gardens, Penfield17.310.7HamelPenfield Road – Virginiaramps on Adelaide side only
Penfield, Waterloo Corner, Virginia, Penfield Gardens18.811.7Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line
Waterloo Corner, Virginia2113 Port Wakefield Road (A1) – Adelaide; North–South MotorwaySouthbound can continue on the North–South Motorway or Port Wakefield Road. Northbound traffic can enter from the North–South Motorway or from southbound Port Wakefield Highway.

See also

References
  1. "'Fatchen' a tourist name". The Bunyip. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  2. "More than memory lane: Fatchen's expressway". ABC News. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  3. Paul Starick (15 November 2006). "Major expressway opens up north". The Advertiser. Retrieved 15 November 2006.
  4. Tom Zed, Transport reporter (13 September 2010). "Northern Expressway open for business". Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  5. "Property Location Browser". Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  6. Google (22 May 2015). "Northern Expressway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
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