Princes Freeway

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the freeway in Victoria. For the motorway in Sydney, see Princes Motorway. For the freeway as a whole (except as stated below), see Princes Highway. For other uses, see Princes Highway (disambiguation).
This article is about the actual freeway that serves the respective parts of Victoria and not in between. For the freeway that serves southeastern Melbourne, see Monash Freeway. For the freeway east of the western section, see West Gate Freeway.

Princes Freeway

Victoria
Princes Freeway at Point Cook.webp
Princes Freeway at Point Cook
General information
TypeFreeway
Length159 km (99 mi)
Route number(s) (1997-present)
Former
route number		 National Route 1 (1955-1997)[1][2]
Tourist routes Tourist Drive 21
(Corio-Altona North)
Major junctions
Princes Freeway (West)
Southwest end Geelong Ring Road
Corio, Geelong
 
Northeast end West Gate Freeway
Laverton North, Melbourne
Princes Freeway (East)
West end Monash Freeway
Narre Warren, Melbourne
 
East end Princes Highway
Morwell, Victoria
Location(s)
Major suburbs / townsGeelong, Little River, Werribee, Laverton, Drouin, Warragul, Moe, Morwell
Highway system

The Princes Freeway is a 159-kilometre (99 mi) Australian freeway, divided into two sections both located in Victoria, Australia. The freeway links Melbourne to Geelong in the west (46 kilometres (29 mi)), and to Morwell in the east (113 kilometres (70 mi)). It continues beyond these extremities as the Princes Highway towards Adelaide to the west and Sydney to the northeast. The freeway bears the designation M1.

The western section linking Geelong and Melbourne is an important commuter and freight route between the two cities; the eastern section links Melbourne with the Latrobe Valley. The entire freeway is one of the busiest sections of rural highway in Victoria, used by large numbers of freight and commercial vehicles and provides access to tourist attractions in central and east Gippsland. It supports Victoria's rural industries and tourism.

Current route[]

The western section (also known as Princes Freeway West or Geelong Road) starts from Altona at the West Gate Interchange, where the Western Ring Road and the old Geelong Road can be accessed by off ramps, and ends at Geelong. This section ranges from six lanes (three in each direction) between Geelong and Werribee, to ten lanes near the Ring Road interchange. Between 1999 and 2003 the section from Hoppers Crossing to Geelong was progressively widened to provide a third lane in each direction, in addition to a number of other safety upgrades being completed. Following this upgrade the speed limit was lowered from 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) to 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) in response to the freeway's poor safety record.[3]

The eastern section (also known as Princes Freeway East) starts from Berwick, a four lane (two lanes in each direction) divided freeway. There are also several highway standard at-grade intersections, most notably between Nar Nar Goon and Longwarry. These intersections are speed limited to 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph), with the only 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) section on the freeway from Longwarry to Morwell. However, traffic still travel through the towns of Yarragon and Trafalgar, therefore urban speed limits apply to these towns (between 60 and 80 kilometres per hour (37 and 50 mph)) where the road reverts to the Princes Highway (though planning for bypasses of these towns are underway).

The western and eastern sections are connected together through the Melbourne suburbs by the West Gate Freeway, CityLink Tollway and the Monash Freeway. These five sections of road together constitute the route M1 which is part of National Highway 1.

The Princes Freeway subsumes and bypasses most sections of the older Princes Highway. Former bypassed sections of the Princes Highway are generally signed with a shield or as C109 (western section), shield or designated from C101 to C104 (eastern section).

In March 2010 it was announced by the State Government that trucks would be banned from the right-hand lane along a 38-kilometre (24 mi) section of freeway between Geelong and Melbourne. Suggestions of a ban began in 2005 but increased after the fatal 2007 Burnley Tunnel fire that killed three people.[4] The ban was put into place from 1 July 2010 between Kororoit Creek Road, Altona, and Avalon Road, Lara and covers all heavy vehicles weighing more than 4.5 tonnes (4.4 long tons; 5.0 short tons), except buses and caravans.[5] A fine of $358 applies to those breaking the rules, the ban being a trial before a full roll-out on the other major roads in the state.[6]

On the urban section of the Princes Freeway (between Laverton North and Werribee), the standard travel time is 9 minutes: 6 minutes between the Western Ring Road and Forsyth Road, and 3 minutes between Forsyth Road and Duncans Road. The usual peak period travel time is between 12 and 18 minutes; however, in times of extreme congestion or traffic accidents, the travel time can well exceed 20 minutes.

Exits and interchanges[]

The road is divided in two distinct sections that do not meet, but are connected by the Monash and West Gate Freeways. In the east, the section is 113 kilometres (70 mi);[7] while the western section is 46 kilometres (29 mi) in length.[8]

Eastern section[]

LGALocationkmmiDestinationsNotes
LatrobeMorwell00.0 Princes Highway (M1) – Traralgon, Rosedale, Sale, Bairnsdale, to Sydney, New South WalesEastern terminus; continues east as Princes Highway
Princes Drive (C104) – MorwellWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
2.91.8 Tramway Road (C474) – Morwell, ChurchillWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
3.82.4 Monash Way (C456) – Morwell, Churchill
5.73.5 Commercial Road (C475) – Morwell, ChurchillWestbound entrance; eastbound exit only
8.55.3 Commercial Road (Strzelecki Highway) (B460) – Morwell, Mirboo North, Leongatha
9.86.1 Princes Drive (C104) – MorwellWestbound exit to the north only
Hernes Oak14.48.9 Haunted Hills Road (C471) – Yallourn North
Newborough19.512.1To John Field Drive (C103) – Moe, Newborough
Moe23.914.9 Old Gippstown Drive (C103) – Moe
Baw BawTrafalgar3220 Willow Grove Road (C463 north) – Willow Grove, Mount Baw Baw
Trafalgar-Thorpdale Road (C469 south) – Thorpdale
Yarragon39.424.5Yarragon-Shady Creek Road (north) - Shady Creek
Rollo Street (Yarragon-Leongatha Road) (south) – Leongatha, Mirboo North
Darnum45.628.3East-West Road/Darnum-Shady Creek Road – Darnum, Cloverlea
Nilma48.730.3 Queen Street (Princes Way) (C102 west) – Warragul, to Bloomfield Road (C462) – Noojee
Nilma-Bona Vista Road (south) – Bona Vista
Warragul50.631.4Alfred Street – WarragulEastbound entrance only
52.232.4 Warragul-Korumburra Road (C425) – Korumburra, Warragul
Drouin57.936.0 Princes Way (C102) – DrouinNorth-westbound exit via Balfour Road
64.940.3 Princes Way (C102) – Drouin, Mount Baw Baw
Drouin West70.143.6 Sand Road (C421) – Longwarry, Labertouche
CardiniaBunyip North73.145.4Abeckett Road (south) – Bunyip
Wimpole Road (north) – Bunyip North
Bunyip75.947.2Tonimbuk Road – Tonimbuk, Bunyip
Garfield78.248.6Martin Road – Garfield North
78.849.0Jefferson Road – GarfieldWestbound entrance and exit only
79.549.4Garfield Road – Garfield
79.849.6Garfield North Road – Garfield North
Tynong North81.250.5Brew Road (east) – Tynong North and Gumbuya Park
8251Brew Road (west) – Tynong North and Gumbuya Park
Tynong84.452.4Tynong North Road (north) – Tynong North and Bunyip State Park
Tynong Road (south) – Tynong
Nar Nar Goon89.655.7 Nar Nar Goon Connection Road (C433 south) – Nar Nar Goon
Princes Highway (C101 west) – Pakenham
Pakenham96.459.9 Koo Wee Rup Road (C422) – Koo Wee Rup, Pakenham
9861McGregor Road – Rythdale, PakenhamWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
Officer101.663.1 Cardinia Road (C417 north, no shield south) – Cardinia, Officer
104.164.7Officer South Road – OfficerWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only, under construction
Beaconsfield107.666.9Princes Link Highway – Beaconsfield, Officer
O'Shea Road – Narre Warren South, Hampton Park		Westbound entrance and eastbound exit only
Eastbound entrance and westbound exit under construction as part of Monash Freeway Upgrade
CaseyBerwick110.868.8 Clyde Road (C407) – Berwick, Clyde, Cranbourne
Narre Warren113.470.5 Princes Highway (National Alt Route 1 west/C101 east) – Narre Warren, Berwick, Cranbourne
Monash Freeway (M1) – Melbourne, to Melbourne Airport, Geelong and to Adelaide, South AustraliaWestern terminus; continues northwest as Monash Freeway
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Incomplete access
  •       Route transition
  •       Unopened

Western section[]

LGALocationkmmiExitDestinationsNotes
Hobsons BayLaverton North00.0 West Gate Freeway (M1) – MelbourneEastern terminus; continues east as West Gate Freeway
W9 Geelong Road (State Route 83) – Brooklyn, Footscray, Melbourne
W10 Western Ring Road (M80) – Sunshine West, Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne Airport
Laverton31.911 Kororoit Creek Road (State Route 35) – WilliamstownNorth-eastbound exit to Kororoit Creek Road eastbound only
42.512 Old Geelong Road, to Fitzgerald Road (A77) – Deer Park and Leakes Road (A81) – TarneitNorth-eastbound exit only
Altona Meadows5.83.613Newland Street – Altona Meadows, LavertonSouth-westbound exit and entrance only
63.713High Street – Altona Meadows, LavertonNorth-eastbound exit and entrance only
Seabrook7.24.514Point Cook Road via Aviation Road (south) – Point Cook, Laverton
Central Avenue (State Route 41 east) – Laverton, Altona Meadows
8.25.115 Palmers Road (A91 north/B91 south) – Seabrook, Point CookWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
WyndhamPoint Cook9.35.816 Forsyth Road (A93) – Truganina
Boardwalk Boulevard – Point Cook
11.47.117 Princes Highway (C109) – Werribee
Old Geelong Road – Hoppers Crossing		Westbound exit, eastbound entrance and exit only
13.78.518Sneydes Road – Werribee, Hoppers Crossing
Werribee South16.410.219 Duncans Road (C108) – Werribee South, Werribee, Werribee Open Range Zoo
Cocoroc211320 Princes Highway (C109) – Werribee
Little River291821Little River Road (west) – Little River
160 South Road (east) – Cocoroc
31.619.622Point Wilson Road – Point WilsonWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
Greater GeelongLara38.523.9 Beach Road – Point Wilson, Avalon Airport
42.226.2Avalon Road – Lara, Avalon
45.828.5 Shell Parade (C115) – North ShoreWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
Princes Highway – North Geelong, Geelong City Centre, QueenscliffWestern terminus
Geelong Ring Road (M1) – Colac, Warrnambool, Mount Gambier, Adelaide, to Great Ocean RoadWestern terminus; continues as Geelong Ring Road
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Incomplete access
  •       Route transition

Current and recent upgrades[]

Traralgon Bypass & Duplication to Sale[]

Vicroads has completed a final strategy and plans for the M1 Traralgon Bypass. 4 options were put to the public, with Option 2 chosen as the preferred route. No further work on the project since 2012 has been made. East of Traralgon, the A1 section between Traralgon and Sale is currently being duplicated and upgraded to M road standard.

Geelong Ring Road[]

Main article: Geelong Ring Road

The Federal and State Government announced the construction of a new bypass extending 23 kilometres along Geelong's western outskirts from the Princes Freeway in Corio to the Princes Highway in Waurn Ponds. Drivers using the Bypass between Corio and Waurn Ponds will avoid up to 29 sets of traffic lights, with a travel time at freeway speeds of less than 15 minutes compared with the current 25–60 minute trip through Geelong.[9]

The Federal Government allocated $186 million in funding[10] with the State Government providing the remainder, giving a total of $380 million.[11] Construction works for Section 1, between Corio and Bell Post Hill commenced in February 2006. Contracts for Section 2, between Hamlyn Heights and Fyansford, commenced in September 2006 and construction of Section 3, between Fyansford and Waurn Ponds, commenced in November 2007. All 3 stages were scheduled for completion in June 2009.

Duplication to Winchelsea and Colac[]

West of Geelong, duplication of the Princes Highway between Waurn Ponds and Winchelsea commenced in 2011 and was to be completed by late 2014, though opened in May 2016 after substantially being delayed. Construction for the Winchelsea - Colac section is now underway (which began in early 2016), with both the Victorian and Australian governments contributing $515 million for this project. Once completed around 2018 and beyond, it will be an M standard road.[12]

Pakenham bypass[]

The Pakenham Bypass was the final missing link of a continuous freeway from Melbourne to Gippsland in the East of Victoria (excluding the single sets of traffic lights in the small rural towns of Yarragon and Trafalgar). Federal and State Governments jointly funded construction of the bypass at a cost of $242 million which commenced in April 2005 and was completed on 1 December 2007.[13] The 24 km freeway which runs from Beaconsfield to Nar Nar Goon bypasses the townships of Pakenham and Officer and provides an important link between Gippsland and Melbourne.[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]

Future upgrades[]

Safety improvements[]

Proposed safety improvements, Princes Freeway East - Nar Nar Goon to Longwarry North, included in the Victorian Government's Auslink 2 funding statement National Transport Links - Growing Victoria's Economy (aka "the Mothership").[20]

Princes Highway East[]

Proposed duplication of the Princes Highway - Traralgon to Sale, to be funded by Auslink 2 (2009–2014).[21]

Princes Highway West[]

Proposed duplication of the Princes Hwy - Waurn Ponds to Colac, as well as possible upgrades to Warrnambool, to be funded by Auslink 2 (2009–2014).[22]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ M1 Princes Freeway West, Main Roads Victoria. Retrieved on 28 August 2013.[self-published source]
  2. ^ M1 Princes Freeway East, Main Roads Victoria. Retrieved on 28 August 2013.[self-published source]
  3. ^ Main Roads Victoria: Site on Victorian Roads
  4. ^ Lucas, Clay (4 March 2010). "Trucks banned from freeway lane". The Age. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  5. ^ "Truck lane restrictions : VicRoads". vicroads.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  6. ^ Craven, Jessica (17 June 2010). "Princes Freeway truckies in right, will be in wrong". Geelong Advertiser. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  7. ^ "M1, Morwell VIC 3840 to Princes Freeway, Berwick VIC 3806". Google Maps. 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Princes Freeway West". Google Maps. Google Maps. 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  9. ^ "' FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR GEELONG BYPASS AS FIRST AUSLINK FUNDING AGREEMENT SIGNED' - 27 May 2005". Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 26 July 2007.
  10. ^ "'AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT FOR GEELONG BYPASS STAGE 3' - 18 July 2007". Archived from the original on 2 September 2007. Retrieved 26 July 2007.
  11. ^ "DoI Media Release - 'PREMIER INSPECTS WORKS ON SECTION TWO OF GEELONG BYPASS ' - December 12, 2006". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 26 July 2007.
  12. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ "Abigroup - Pakenham Bypass". Archived from the original on 11 August 2007. Retrieved 26 July 2007.
  14. ^ "DoI media release - 'COMMUNITY CELEBRATES AS FIRST SOD TURNED ON THE PAKENHAM BYPASS' - August 5, 2005". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 26 July 2007.
  15. ^ Bypass eases town traffic
  16. ^ Community celebrates the completion of the Pakenham bypass
  17. ^ All go for a bypass
  18. ^ Boom times ahead - The Age paper
  19. ^ Vicroads, Pakenham Bypass
  20. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.doi.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.doi.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.doi.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links[]

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