Calder Highway

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Calder Highway

New South Wales
–Victoria
CalderFreeway.jpg
Calder Freeway facing Mount Macedon
General information
TypeHighway
Length561 km (349 mi)
Route number(s)
  • A79 (1998–present)
    (VIC/NSW border-Ravenswood)
  • M79 (1998–present)
    (Ravenswood-Niddrie)
  • Concurrency:
  • Midland Highway
    (Bendigo-Harcourt)
Former
route number
  • National Route 79 (1955–1998/2013)
    in VIC/NSW respectively
  • Freeway Route 90 (1972–1987)
    (Keilor-Niddrie)    [1]
Major junctions
NW end Silver City Highway
Curlwaa, New South Wales
 
SE end Tullamarine Freeway
Niddrie, Melbourne
Location(s)
Major settlementsMildura, Ouyen, Charlton, Bendigo, Harcourt, Malmsbury, Kyneton, Woodend, Macedon, Gisborne, Diggers Rest, Sunbury
Highway system

Calder Highway[2] is a highway in Australia, linking Melbourne in Victoria, to Bendigo and Mildura and the Victoria/New South Wales border on the way to Broken Hill. It continues through New South Wales to Broken Hill, Tibooburra and the New South Wales/Queensland border as the Silver City Highway, posted as route B79 as far as Broken Hill.[3][full citation needed]

The highway is called the Calder Freeway south of Bendigo where it has been upgraded to freeway-standard, superseding sections of the original Calder Highway. It has been extended in phases from the southern end to Ravenswood South subsuming the older Calder Highway stretches. The Victorian Government completed the duplication of the Calder Highway from Melbourne to Bendigo to freeway conditions on 20 April 2009.

History[]

The Calder Highway was named after William Calder, who was chairman of the Country Roads Board (CRB) from 1913 to 1928. The CRB was renamed Victorian Road Construction Authority and is today known as VicRoads.

The highway was originally allocated a National Route 79 shield. With Victoria's conversion to the newer alphanumeric system in the late 1990s this was altered to an A79 designation for the highway portion, and a M79 designation for the freeway portion into Melbourne; the New South Wales section was left unallocated when they switched to the alphanumeric system in 2013.

Originally, the Calder Highway (an undivided highway) started at the end of Keilor Road in Niddrie. In the early 1970s the road was upgraded to freeway standard together with the Tullamarine Freeway, ending in Keilor East in suburban Melbourne and rejoining the Calder Highway. By the early 1980s the Freeway was extended to Keilor and then rejoined the Calder Highway. However, it was not until the 1990s that work began to duplicate the rest of the highway to Bendigo.

The Calder Highway between the Melton Highway and the Western Ring Road is shown in the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan as part of the F4 Freeway corridor, which extends past the Tullamarine Freeway and Bell Street to Templestowe.[citation needed]

Route[]

South of the Victoria/New South Wales border the highway is a two-lane, single carriageway in each direction, continuing through northwest Victoria from the Abbotsford Bridge, through Merbein to the major regional town of Mildura, where it is 2 lanes each way through southern Mildura and Irymple, in the state's north-west. Here also it crosses the Sturt Highway (A20) leading to capital cities Adelaide heading west and Sydney heading east. Further south, it crosses the Mallee Highway (B12) at Ouyen and runs south-east eventually to Bendigo. Between Red Cliffs and Wycheproof the highway has a speed limit of 110 km/h.

The Calder Alternate Highway (A790) connects to the Calder Highway at both ends - just north of Ravenswood, and at Marong - and provides a bypass west of Bendigo.

For most of its length from to the junction with the Tullamarine Freeway in Melbourne, the Calder Freeway is a four lane dual carriageway freeway which bypasses the towns the old alignment of the highway used to serve. The Old Calder Highway has been designated C794 from where it leaves the new Calder Freeway at .

The north-western end of the freeway is also duplexed with the A300 until south of Harcourt where the highway resumes south-westerly to the major regional centres of Castlemaine, Ballarat, and Geelong.

Towns bypassed by, but still accessible from, the Calder Freeway include: Harcourt, Elphinstone, Taradale, Malmsbury, Kyneton, Woodend, Macedon, Gisborne, and Diggers Rest.

The freeway ends at the interchange with the Tullamarine Freeway, the main route from the central business district to Melbourne Airport. Continuing on the Tullamarine Freeway eventually brings vehicles onto CityLink, and thus, central Melbourne.

Within the urban section of the Calder Freeway (between Kings Road and the Tullamarine Freeway), the standard travel time, in each direction, is 10 minutes. (5 minutes between Kings Road and the Western Ring Road and 5 minutes between the Western Ring Road and the Tullamarine Freeway.

The usual peak period travel time, is between 9–13 minutes. However, when there is extreme congestion or roadworks, including being residual from an incident, the travel time can go beyond 13 minutes, sometimes upwards of 20 minutes plus.[citation needed]

Timeline of construction[]

  • 1972 – 1.2 miles with 3 lanes in each direction, opened from the Tullamarine Freeway/Lancefield Road to the Calder Highway at Niddrie. This section was opened 21 April 1972, by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon. A J Hunt, MLC, at a cost of $A3m.[4]
  • 1975 – Keilor East. 2 km from The Avenue to Erberus Street, opened December 1974 at a cost of A$2.5m.[5]
  • 1982 – 3.8 km from Erebus Street, Keilor Park (future location of the Western Ring Road interchange) to Arundel Road, Keilor, with two lanes each direction, plus emergency stopping lanes. Opened 18 May 1982 by Minister for Transport, the Hon S M Crabb MP at a cost of A$15.5m.[6]
  • 1984 – Keilor bypass. Bendigo-bound carriageway opened 17 April 1984, from Arundel Road to west of Oakbank Road. The opening of this carriageway completed the bypass of Keilor. The cost of the entire bypass from Erebus Street to west of Oakbank Road was A$30m.[7]
  • 1989 – Gisborne bypass opened 17 March 1989. The 6 km bypass cost A$25m.[8]
  • 1990/1991 – Oakbank Road, Keilor North to Duncans Lane, Diggers Rest. 7.7 km of newly duplicated '2 lane carriageway' opened to traffic at a cost of A$14m. No exact date was given, however VicRoads Annual Reports cover the previous financial year.[9]
  • 1991/1992 – 2 km of duplication completed at Ravenswood during 1991/1992 at a cost of A$1.3m.[10]
  • 1993 – Diggers Rest bypass. $A32m 6.5 km bypass opened to traffic in July 1993, followed by the Vinyard Road interchange in November 1993.[11]
  • 1994 – Ravenswood section. Duplication of the highway completed 'in 1994'[11]
  • 1995 – Kyneton bypass opened to traffic in April 1995, at a cost of A$31m.[12]
  • 1996 – Gap Hill section (Diggers Rest to Millett Road). Opened in May 1996, at a cost of A$32m.[13]
  • 1998 – Gisborne South to Gisborne. 6 km completed at a cost of A$31 and opened to traffic on 3 April 1998.[14]
  • 2000 – Gisborne to Woodend (Black Forest section). 6.8 km section opened to traffic on 17 March 2000. Completed at a cost of A$51m.[15]
  • 2001 – Woodend bypass. 13.5 km bypass opened to traffic on 19 December 2001. The total cost of the project was A$85m.[16]
  • 2003 – Carlsruhe section. 6.5 km section opened to traffic on 16 April 2003, at a cost of A$46m. This section completed the dual carriageways from Keilor to Kyneton.[17]
  • 2005 – 2.5 km north of Kyneton completed in January 2005.[18]
  • 2005 – Ravenswood. 6.5 km duplication south of Ravenswood completed in May 2005[18]
  • 2008 – 15 km Malmsbury section opened in April 2008.[19]
  • 2009 – Harcourt North to Elphinstone opened on 20 April 2009. This 19 km section cost A$404m and completed the duplication of the highway between Melbourne and Bendigo. The project was jointly funded by the state and federal governments.[20]

Upgrades[]

Calder Highway / Calder Alternative Route intersection[]

The upgrade of the intersection of the Calder Highway and Calder Alternate Route at Ravenswood, is being funded jointly by the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments. It began construction in February 2016 with completion anticipated by the end of 2017.[21][22]

Western Ring Road to Kings Road[]

In 2008, VicRoads completed the widening of the Calder Freeway from the Western Ring Road to Melton Highway. The road was widened from 2 lanes each direction to 3 lanes in each direction. The speed limit was reduced permanently from 100 km/h to 80 km/h.[23] The 80 km/hr limit applies northbound from Keilor Park Drive to the Service Centre at Calder Park, and southbound it applies from the Green Gully Road bridge to just prior to the Western Ring Road interchange. In October 2010, it was announced that as part of a year long trial, the speed limit on this section of freeway will be increased back to 100 km/h in off-peak times (8pm-5am), with 30 variable speed limits[clarification needed] to be installed along the stretch of freeway. As of 2011, the section combined with State Route 40 (or essentially Keilor Park Dve to Kings Road) is permanently signed at 80 km/h – with slight differences (as noted) inbound and outbound. A further upgrade completed in 2012 resulted in a new interchange at Kings Road (the freeways's urban / metropolitan limits) and closure of three at grade intersections in the area. Despite the upgrade the 80 km/h speed limit remains today.[when?]

Gallery of notable sights[]

  • The Calder Highway, passing through Irymple.

  • The end of the Calder Highway at the intersection of the Silver City Highway, near Curlwaa, New South Wales.

  • Fruit disposal bins and warning signs along the Calder Highway, approaching the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone near Mildura.

Major Intersections and Towns[]

StateLGALocationkm[24]miDestinationsNotes
New South WalesWentworthCurlwaa565351 Silver City Highway (B79) – Wentworth, Broken Hill, EustonNorthern highway terminus
Murray River564.5350.8Abbotsford Bridge
State borderNew South Wales – Victoria state borderNorthern terminus of route A79
VictoriaMilduraMerbein553.5343.9 Ranfurly Way (C256) – Mildura
Mildura544338 Sturt Highway (A20) – Renmark, AdelaideConcurrency with route A20 through Mildura
541336 Sturt Highway (A20) – Mildura, Balranald, Sydney
539335 Benetook Avenue – Buronga
Irymple537334
Red Cliffs528328
526327 Millewa Road – Werrimull, Meringur
525326Kulkyne Way – Colignan
Hattah476296 Hattah-Robinvale Road (C252) – Robinvale
Ouyen440.8273.9 Mallee Highway (B12) – Piangil, Swan Hill, Balranald, SydneyConcurrency with route B12 through Ouyen
440.7273.8 Mallee Highway (B12) – Pinnaroo, Murray Bridge, Adelaide
430270 Sunraysia Highway (B220) – Birchip, Horsham, St Arnaud, Ballarat
Mittyack404251
BulokeBimbourie371231 Patchewollock-Sea Lake Road (C248) – Patchewollock
Sea Lake356221 Robinvale-Sea Lake Road (C251) – Robinvale
352219 Sea Lake-Swan Hill Road (C246) – Swan HillConcurrency with route C246 through Sea Lake
351.5218.4 Birchip-Sea Lake Road (C246) – Woomelang, Birchip
Dumosa291181 Donald-Swan Hill Road (C261) – Swan Hill, Donald
Wycheproof276171 Birchip-Wycheproof Road (C268) – Birchip
275171 Boort-Wycheproof Road (C267) – Boort
Wycheproof South269167 St Arnaud-Wycheproof Road (C271) – St Arnaud
Charlton246153 Borung Highway (C239) – Donald
245152 Charlton-St Arnaud Road (C272) – St Arnaud
244152 Boort-Charlton Road (C266) – Boort, Kerang
LoddonWedderburn213.7132.8 Boort-Wedderburn Road (C273) – Boort, KerangConcurrency with route C273 through Wedderburn
213.5132.7 Logan-Wedderburn Road (C273) – Logan, St Arnaud
Inglewood185115
Bridgewater178111 Bridgewater-Dunolly Road (C274 south) – Dunolly, Maryborough
Bridgewater-Serpentine Road (C274 north) – Serpentine, Kerang
177110 Bridgewater-Maldon Road (C282) – Maldon, Castlemaine
Greater BendigoMarong15596 Calder Alternative Highway (A790) – to Wimmera Highway St Arnaud, Horsham
Golden Square15596 Golden Square-Long Gully Road (C323) – Golden Square, Long Gully, Eaglehawk
Ironbark15395 Loddon Valley Highway (B260) – Eaglehawk, Kerang
152.494.7 Eaglehawk Road – White Hills, Echuca, Shepparton
Bendigo15093 Don Street (A79 north) – Marong
High Street (Midland Highway) (A79 west)(A300) – Bendigo city centre
Myrtle Street (C331 south) – Quarry Hill, Flora Hill		Calder Highway continues north along Don Street, west along High Street
Northern terminus with route A300
Golden Square147.491.6 Oak Street (Bendigo ring route) (C323 north/C353 south) – Long Gully, Eaglehawk, , Quarry Hill
Kangaroo Flat14590 Bendigo-Maryborough Road (C277) – Maryborough
Ravenswood00.0 Calder Alternative Highway (A790 north-west) – Marong, MilduraContinues north as Calder Highway (route A79), south as Calder Freeway (route M79)
Mount Alexander–Harcourt North boundary8.15.0 Old Calder Highway (C794 east) / Fogartys Gap Road (west) – Harcourt, Elphinstone, TaradaleAt-grade intersection
Barkers Creek–Harcourt boundary13.98.6 Midland Highway (A300 south-west) – Harcourt, Castlemaine, BallaratSouthern terminus with route A300
Elphinstone26.416.4 Pyrenees Highway (B180) – Castlemaine, Metcalfe
Macedon RangesMalmsbury41.125.5 Old Calder Highway (C794 west) / Malmsbury East Road (east) – Malmsbury, Taradale, Elphinstone,
Kyneton44.327.5 Burton Avenue (C793) – KynetonAt-grade intersection
49.430.7 Edgecombe Road (C326 north) – Kyneton, Heathcote
51.431.9 Bourke Street (C793 west) / Trio Road east –KynetonNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
Carlsruhe56.535.1Springvale Road – Carlsruhe
Woodend North60.137.3 Macedon–Woodend Road (C792) – WoodendSouthbound exit and northbound entrance only
Woodend64.940.3 Lancefield–Woodend Road (C324) – Lancefield, Woodend
Macedon72.344.9 Macedon–Woodend Road (C792) – Macedon, Woodend
78.348.7 Mount Macedon Road (C322 north-east) / Macedon–Woodend Road (C792 north-west) – Mount Macedon, MacedonNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
Gisborne–New Gisborne boundary80.750.1 Station Road (C708 north/C791 south) – Riddells Creek, Gisborne, Bacchus Marsh, Melton
Gisborne83.651.9 Melbourne Road (C791 west) / Emmeline Drive (east) – Gisborne
Macedon Ranges–Hume boundaryGisborne South–Sunbury boundary89.755.7Couangalt Road (west) / Mundy Road (east) – Gisborne South, Sunbury
Hume–Melton boundarySunbury–Diggers Rest boundary94.758.8 Gap Road (C707) – Sunbury
99.661.9 Vineyard Road (C706) – Sunbury, Diggers Rest
Diggers Rest102.863.9Bulla–Diggers Rest Road – Bulla, Diggers Rest
BrimbankCalder Park–Keilor North boundary106.2–
107.1		66.0–
66.5		Holden Road (west) – Toolern ValeNorthbound exit and entrance; northbound and southbound access to service centres
108.067.1Organ Pipes Road – Organ Pipes National ParkAt-grade intersection
108.867.6Calder Park Drive – Calder ParkNorthbound exit and entrance only
Keilor North–Taylors Lakes boundary110.668.7 Kings Road (A77) – Taylors Lakes, Deer Park, Laverton
Keilor North–Keilor Lodge boundary112.569.9 Sunshine Avenue (State Route 41) – Taylors LakesNorthbound exit and entrance only
Keilor113.870.7 Melton Highway (C754) – Taylors Lakes, MeltonPartial Y interchange: northbound exit and southbound entrance
115.571.8Green Gully Road (south) / Arundel Road (north) – Keilor, St AlbansNorth-westbound exit and south-eastbound entrance only
Keilor Park–Keilor East boundary117.873.2 Keilor Park Drive (State Route 39), to Western Ring Road (M80) – Keilor Park, Avondale Heights, Avalon AirportNo north-westbound exit
118.773.8 Western Ring Road (M80) – north-east to Seymour, Sydney, Melbourne Airport; south-west to Geelong, Ballarat, Adelaide, Avalon AirportIncomplete access: no exit north-westbound to north-eastbound or south-eastbound to south-westbound, no entrance south-westbound to south-eastbound or north-westbound to north-eastbound; access from north-westbound exit to Keilor Park Drive
Moonee ValleyKeilor East–Airport West boundary119.674.3Woorite Place – Keilor East, Airport WestNorth-westbound exit and south-eastbound entrance only
Airport West–Niddrie boundary120.674.9Fullarton Road / McNamara Avenue – NiddrieEastbound entrance and exit only
120.975.1Keilor Road / Newman Street – NiddrieWestbound entrance and exit only
121.375.4 Bulla Road (State Route 37) – EssendonWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
Airport West–Niddrie–Essendon Fields–Essendon North quadripoint122.275.9 Tullamarine Freeway (M2) – MelbournePartial Y interchange: no access eastbound to northbound or southbound to westbound
  •       Concurrency terminus
  •       Incomplete access
  •       Route transition

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Freeway Route Numbering System, Main Roads Victoria. Retrieved on 26 August 2013.[self-published source]
  2. ^ Calder Freeway & Calder Highway (M/A79), Expressway – Paul Rands. Retrieved on 11 September 2013.[self-published source]
  3. ^ Silver City Highway, Tibooburra, 2 December 2007
  4. ^ Country Roads Board Victoria. Fifty-Ninth Report: for the year ended 30 June 1972, Burwood, Victoria: Brown, Prior, Anderson, 1972. p. 5
  5. ^ Country Roads Board Victoria. Sixty-Second Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1975, Burwood, Victoria: Brown, Prior, Anderson, 1975. p. 5.
  6. ^ Country Roads Board Victoria. 69th Annual Report. 1981-1982, Kew, Victoria: Country Roads Board Victoria, 1982. p. 11
  7. ^ Road Construction Authority Victoria. 1st Annual Report 1983-84, Kew, Victoria: Road Construction Authority, Victoria, 1984. p. 10
  8. ^ Road Construction Authority Victoria. Annual Report 1988-1989, Kew, Victoria: Road Construction Authority, Victoria, 1989. p. 46
  9. ^ VicRoads. VicRoads Annual Report, 1990–1991, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 1991, p. 37
  10. ^ VicRoads. VicRoads Annual Report, 1991–1992, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 1992, p. 42
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b Vicroads. Vicroads Annual Report 1993-94, Kew, Victoria: Vicroads, 1994, p. 16
  12. ^ Vicroads. Vicroads Annual Report 1994-95, Kew, Victoria: Vicroads, 1995, p. 9
  13. ^ Vicroads. Vicroads Annual Report 1995-96, Kew, Victoria: Vicroads, 1996, p. 15
  14. ^ Vicroads. Vicroads Annual Report 1997-98, Kew, Victoria: Vicroads, 1998, p. 33
  15. ^ Vicroads. Vicroads Annual Report 2000-01, Kew, Victoria: Vicroads, 2000, p. 27
  16. ^ Vicroads. Vicroads Annual Report 2001-02, Kew, Victoria: Vicroads, 2002, p. 33
  17. ^ Vicroads. Vicroads Annual Report 2002-03, Kew, Victoria: Vicroads, 2003, p. 13
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b Vicroads. Vicroads Annual Report 2004-05, Kew, Victoria: Vicroads, 2005, p. 33
  19. ^ VicRoads. VicRoads Annual Report 2007-08, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 2008, p. 35
  20. ^ VicRoads. VicRoads Annual Report 2008-09, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 2009, p. 41
  21. ^ "Ravenswood Interchange". VicRoads. 20 October 2015. Archived from the original on 13 November 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  22. ^ Luke Donnellan, Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Government of Victoria (1 April 2016). "New Ravenswood Interchange moving ahead with CPB contractors". Retrieved 6 January 2017.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ Gardiner, Ashley (12 June 2008). "Freeway slowdown to ease traffic jams in Melbourne". Herald Sun. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  24. ^ Google (20 January 2015). "Calder Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
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