North Western Expressway
Encyclopedia
The North Western Expressway was a planned freeway route in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
, intended to link the Sydney CBD to its north-western suburbs, and ultimately the F3
Freeway to Newcastle
.
The route was planned as early as 1962 (even providing a proposed freeway "dotted line" in the first UBD street directory of 1964), with the section from Fig Tree Bridge
to Gladesville Bridge
and the Western Distributor
being the only completed sections. Work on stage one, from Ultimo to Pyrmont Bridge Road, began in 1974. 12 People were arrested during protests in Ultimo against the expressway, and the Whitlam government threatened to cut off $42 billion in road funding if the NSW government continued with construction. As a result, construction was suspended.
The Wran
Government cancelled the project in 1977, as a part of a change in government policy regarding freeways.
, connecting to Gladesville Bridge
via a new elevated freeway.
The section of freeway from Gladesville Bridge to Fig Tree Bridge at Hunters Hill was completed in 1965 with the opening of Tarban Creek Bridge
.
The route from there to approximately the intersection of Delhi Road and Epping Road
was shown on a 1984 Department of Main Roads map, but was removed by 1988 when that map was reprinted.
The M2 Hills Motorway
follows the originally planned route from Epping Road to Seven Hills
.
The Westlink M7
continues along the original route from the M2 to Dean Park
, where the M7 turns south while the North West Freeway corridor continues west.
The unused but still reserved corridor passes north of suburbs including Shalvey
and Willmot
, continuing west past Llandilo
to stop abruptly near Londonderry
at the foot of the Blue Mountains.
The Lane Cove Valley Expressway
was intended to fork from this route and pass through the Lane Cove Valley area to connect to the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, intended to link the Sydney CBD to its north-western suburbs, and ultimately the F3
Sydney-Newcastle Freeway
The Sydney-Newcastle Freeway is a stretch of motorway linking Sydney to the Central Coast, Newcastle and Hunter regions of New South Wales. It is part of the AusLink road corridor between Sydney and Brisbane, carrying the route designation....
Freeway to Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
.
The route was planned as early as 1962 (even providing a proposed freeway "dotted line" in the first UBD street directory of 1964), with the section from Fig Tree Bridge
Fig Tree Bridge
Fig Tree Bridge is a girder bridge that spans the Lane Cove River, west of the CBD in Sydney, Australia. It is immediately to the north of Tarban Creek Bridge and the more well-known Gladesville Bridge...
to Gladesville Bridge
Gladesville Bridge
Gladesville Bridge is an arch bridge near Gladesville that spans the Parramatta River, west of central Sydney, Australia. It links the suburbs of Huntleys Point and Drummoyne. It is a few kilometres upstream of the more famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and is part of Victoria Road...
and the Western Distributor
Western Distributor
The Western Distributor is a primarily elevated small freeway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia that links Victoria Road, White Bay , with the Bradfield Highway at the southern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge...
being the only completed sections. Work on stage one, from Ultimo to Pyrmont Bridge Road, began in 1974. 12 People were arrested during protests in Ultimo against the expressway, and the Whitlam government threatened to cut off $42 billion in road funding if the NSW government continued with construction. As a result, construction was suspended.
The Wran
Neville Wran
Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 1986...
Government cancelled the project in 1977, as a part of a change in government policy regarding freeways.
Route
The original route was to start at the Western DistributorWestern Distributor
The Western Distributor is a primarily elevated small freeway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia that links Victoria Road, White Bay , with the Bradfield Highway at the southern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge...
, connecting to Gladesville Bridge
Gladesville Bridge
Gladesville Bridge is an arch bridge near Gladesville that spans the Parramatta River, west of central Sydney, Australia. It links the suburbs of Huntleys Point and Drummoyne. It is a few kilometres upstream of the more famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and is part of Victoria Road...
via a new elevated freeway.
The section of freeway from Gladesville Bridge to Fig Tree Bridge at Hunters Hill was completed in 1965 with the opening of Tarban Creek Bridge
Tarban Creek Bridge
Tarban Creek Bridge is an arch bridge that spans Tarban Creek, west of central Sydney, Australia. It is located between Gladesville Bridge and Fig Tree Bridge, being immediately to the north of Gladesville Bridge...
.
The route from there to approximately the intersection of Delhi Road and Epping Road
Epping Road
Epping Road , NSW Main Road 28, is an important arterial road in suburban Sydney. Epping Road is 9 kilometres long, and is a major route linking the lower North Shore and Sydney CBD to the north western suburbs and Hills District of metropolitan Sydney...
was shown on a 1984 Department of Main Roads map, but was removed by 1988 when that map was reprinted.
The M2 Hills Motorway
M2 Hills Motorway
The M2 Hills Motorway is a motorway in north-western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It forms part of Sydney Metroad 2 and the 110 km Sydney Orbital Network. West of Pennant Hills Road, the M2 is also part of the National Highway.-History:Previously, Sydney's western suburbs were poorly served...
follows the originally planned route from Epping Road to Seven Hills
Seven Hills, New South Wales
Seven Hills is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Seven Hills is located 34 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Blacktown. Seven Hills is part of the Greater Western Sydney region...
.
The Westlink M7
Westlink M7
Westlink M7 - formerly Western Sydney Orbital - is one of Sydney, Australia's urban motorways and a part of Metroad 7 and the Sydney Orbital Network. It connects three Metroads: M5 at Prestons, M4 at Eastern Creek and M2 at Baulkham Hills...
continues along the original route from the M2 to Dean Park
Dean Park
Dean Park may refer to:*Dean Park, New South Wales, Australia, a suburb of the City of Blacktown*Dean Park Cricket Ground, a cricket ground in Bournemouth, England...
, where the M7 turns south while the North West Freeway corridor continues west.
The unused but still reserved corridor passes north of suburbs including Shalvey
Shalvey, New South Wales
Shalvey is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Shalvey is located 48 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Blacktown and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region....
and Willmot
Willmot, New South Wales
Willmot is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Willmot is located 49 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Blacktown and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region....
, continuing west past Llandilo
Llandilo, New South Wales
Llandilo is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Llandilo is located 54 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Penrith and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region...
to stop abruptly near Londonderry
Londonderry, New South Wales
Londonderry is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Londonderry is located 60 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Penrith and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.-History:Londonderry takes its name...
at the foot of the Blue Mountains.
The Lane Cove Valley Expressway
Lane Cove Valley Expressway
The Lane Cove Valley Expressway was a planned freeway route in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, intended to link the Sydney CBD to its north-western suburbs, and ultimately the F3 Freeway to Newcastle.-References and External Links:*...
was intended to fork from this route and pass through the Lane Cove Valley area to connect to the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway
Sydney-Newcastle Freeway
The Sydney-Newcastle Freeway is a stretch of motorway linking Sydney to the Central Coast, Newcastle and Hunter regions of New South Wales. It is part of the AusLink road corridor between Sydney and Brisbane, carrying the route designation....
.