Metroad
Encyclopedia
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
routes serving the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
metropolitan areas in Australia
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...
. The Metroads form a network of radial and circumferential routes throughout the city, lengths of some of which are of freeway grade.
History
Historically, National RoutesHighways in Australia
This is a list of highways in Australia, listed alphabetically along with each highway's route number and location. Note that some highways service more than one state or territory.-Route numbering systems:...
passed through city centres and formed some of the main thoroughfares within Australia's largest cities. However urban growth led to massive congestion in the inner city areas. To bypass these centres, new roads were either constructed or main suburban roads were linked together to form ring road
Ring road
A ring road, orbital motorway, beltway, circumferential highway, or loop highway is a road that encircles a town or city...
s linking one National Route to the other. The earliest scheme was adopted in Sydney in 1970s, the Ring Road scheme. They had special markers for identification.
Growth of urban sprawl made intra-urban navigation difficult. Many States introduced State Route systems in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and many roads within metropolitan areas were included. This scheme was adopted by most major cities. In Sydney the State Routes superseded the Ring Road scheme. Urban freeways in Sydney and Brisbane had their own route marking scheme.
However, it was later realised that the multiplicity of urban route marking schemes led to confusion. In the 1990s, these were streamlined in the new Metroad scheme. This scheme ensures that main priority routes are clearly identified and marked. As far as possible, urban freeways are absorbed into the system. It was adopted in Sydney in 1993 and Brisbane in 1996. Metroads usually completely replaced the State Routes and National Routes along their routes; however, State Routes not on designated Metroads were usually left untampered.
Sydney Metroads are given the designation M (number) if they are of motorway standard, other Sydney Metroads and all Brisbane Metroads are sometimes known as Metroad (number).
Sydney Metroads will be replaced by Alphanumeric Routes.
Sydney Metroads
Metroad 1Metroad 1Metroad 1 is a Metroad in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It replaced National Route 1, from Metroad 7 at Pearces Corner in Wahroonga south-east to the CBD then from the CBD south-west to the F6 Southern Freeway at Waterfall in October 1993.-Route:...
- WahroongaWahroonga, New South WalesWahroonga is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wahroonga is located 22 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council and Hornsby Shire....
to WaterfallWaterfall, New South WalesWaterfall is a small suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Waterfall is located 38 kilometers south of the Sydney central business district in the Sutherland Shire....
via the M1 Eastern DistributorEastern DistributorThe Eastern Distributor, also identified as the M1, is a long motorway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Part of Metroad 1, it links the Sydney central business district with the Airport...
and the city of SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...- Metroad 2Metroad 2Metroad 2 is a Metroad in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It links Windsor to Artarmon.-Route Information:* Extremities: Lane Cove Tunnel at Artarmon to Windsor* Approximate length: 53 km...
- ArtarmonArtarmon, New South WalesArtarmon is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Artarmon is located 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Willoughby.-History:...
to WindsorWindsor, New South WalesWindsor is a town in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Windsor is located in the local government area of the City of Hawkesbury. It sits on the Hawkesbury River, on the north-western outskirts of the Sydney metropolitan area. At the 2006 census, Windsor had a population of...
via the Lane Cove TunnelLane Cove TunnelThe Lane Cove Tunnel is a A$1.1 billion, 3.6 km twin tunnel tollway in Sydney, Australia, connecting the M2 Motorway at North Ryde with the Gore Hill Freeway at Artarmon. It forms part of Sydney Metroad 2 and the 110 km Sydney Orbital Network...
and M2 Hills MotorwayM2 Hills MotorwayThe 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... 
Metroad 3Metroad 3Metroad 3 is a Metroad in Sydney, New South Wales Australia. It replaced State Route 33 in April 1993, from Metroad 10 in Mona Vale to Metroad 1 in Blakehurst. It has many names as it goes through different suburbs. Some of these are Mona Vale Road, Ryde Road, Lane Cove Road, Concord Road and...
- BlakehurstBlakehurst, New South WalesBlakehurst is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Blakehurst is located 18 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Kogarah and is part of the St George area.Blakehurst is connected to...
to Mona ValeMona Vale, New South WalesMona Vale is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 28 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Pittwater Council. Mona Vale is also part of the Northern Beaches region.-...
via Hurstville, Olympic Park, Ryde, Macquarie Park and St. Ives
Metroad 4Metroad 4Metroad 4 is a Metroad in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It connects the inner-west of Sydney with the outer western suburbs. It mostly follows what was previously National Highway 32 from the Western Distributor in the CBD, west to the Great Western Highway at Lapstone...
- SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to LapstoneLapstone, New South WalesLapstone is a small village on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia. Lapstone is located 62 kilometres west of Sydney in the local government area of the City of Blue Mountains and is part of the federal electorate of Macquarie. The village consists mostly of...
via Parramatta Road and the M4 Western MotorwayM4 Western MotorwayThe M4 Western Motorway,, is a motorway in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
Metroad 5 - Sydney AirportSydney AirportSydney Airport may refer to:* Sydney Airport, also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport, in Sydney, Australia* Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, in Nova Scotia, Canada...
to Campbelltown via the M5 South Western MotorwayM5 South Western MotorwayThe M5 South Western Motorway is a privately operated tolled motorway in south-western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It forms part of Sydney Metroad 5 and the Sydney Orbital Network...
Metroad 6Metroad 6The Metroad 6 is a Metroad in Sydney, Australia. It travels from the Metroad 1 at Princes Highway, Heathcote to Pennant Hills Road/M2 Motorway, in Carlingford.Metroad 6 replaced State Route 45 in February 1999...
- HeathcoteHeathcote, New South WalesHeathcote is a suburb, in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Heathcote is located 36 km south of the Sydney central business district in the Sutherland Shire....
to Pennant HillsPennant Hills, New South WalesPennant Hills is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Pennant Hills is located 25 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Hornsby Shire...
via Bankstown, Carlingford, Pennant Hills
Metroad 7Metroad 7Metroad 7 is a Metroad in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Metroad 7 links the Hume Highway at Casula with the Pacific Highway and Pennant Hills Road at Wahroonga....
- CasulaCasula, New South WalesCasula is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Casula is located 35 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool....
to WahroongaWahroonga, New South WalesWahroonga is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wahroonga is located 22 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council and Hornsby Shire....
via the Westlink M7Westlink M7Westlink 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...
and Pennant Hills.
Metroad 9Metroad 9Metroad 9 is one of Sydney, Australia's Metroads. It is the outer western Sydney Bypass connecting Campbelltown to Windsor.It replaced part of State Route 69 in December 1998 and consequently split State Route 69 into two sections. The northern section connects Windsor to Singleton...
- Campbelltown to WindsorWindsor, New South WalesWindsor is a town in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Windsor is located in the local government area of the City of Hawkesbury. It sits on the Hawkesbury River, on the north-western outskirts of the Sydney metropolitan area. At the 2006 census, Windsor had a population of...
Metroad 10Metroad 10Metroad 10 is one of Sydney, Australia's Metroads. It replaced State Route 14 in December 1998. It travels from the Warringah Freeway at North Sydney to Metroad 3 at Mona Vale.Metroad 10 changes names several times as it passes through the city...
- North SydneyNorth Sydney, New South WalesNorth Sydney is a suburb and commercial district on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Sydney is located 3 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of North Sydney...
to Mona ValeMona Vale, New South WalesMona Vale is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 28 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Pittwater Council. Mona Vale is also part of the Northern Beaches region.-...
via Dee Why and Mosman.
Sections of Metroads 1, 2, 5, and 7 form the Sydney Orbital Network circumnavigating the Sydney metropolitan area.
Brisbane Metroads
The numbering system for Brisbane Metroads is straightforward, with odd numbers for north-to-south alignments and even numbers for east-to-west alignments. The "M" prefix is used exclusively for "M" routes under the alphanumeric system. "M1M1, Queensland
The M1 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is a major urban road corridor. It connects Tugun near the New South Wales-Queensland border to the Sunshine Coast hinterland via the following corridors:*Pacific Motorway between Tugun and Eight Mile Plains...
" has now replaced the Metroad 1 symbol on that corridor only.
- M1M1, QueenslandThe M1 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is a major urban road corridor. It connects Tugun near the New South Wales-Queensland border to the Sunshine Coast hinterland via the following corridors:*Pacific Motorway between Tugun and Eight Mile Plains...
- End of Pacific MotorwayPacific MotorwayThe Pacific Motorway is a 100 km long motorway in Australia between Brisbane, Queensland, and the New South Wales-Queensland border at Tweed Heads. The motorway starts at Coronation Drive at Milton in Brisbane, and from 2008 links the Tweed Heads bypass in New South Wales...
(TugunTugun, QueenslandTugun is a beachside suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Tugun had a population of 4,821.Its name is believed to have derived from an Indigenous word of unknown dialect meaning "breaking waves"....
) to CooroyCooroy, QueenslandCooroy is a town in Queensland, Australia, located in the northern Sunshine Coast hinterland about west of Noosa Heads. Cooroy's name came from Cooroy Mountain, which was originally called Coorooey, from the Aboriginal word for possum, kurui.... 
Metroad 2Metroad 2 (Brisbane)The M2 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is a major motorway route and southern bypass of Brisbane. It connects the Warrego Highway A2 at Brassall to the M1 at Eight Mile Plains via the following corridors:...
- Cunningham HighwayCunningham HighwayThe Cunningham Highway is a National Highway in Queensland, Australia. It is named after the explorer and botanist Allan Cunningham who followed a route close to where the modern day highway runs.-Route:...
(National Highway 15) /Warrego HighwayWarrego HighwayThe Warrego Highway is located in southern Queensland, Australia. It connects coastal centres to the south western areas of the state, and is approximately 750 km in length. It takes its name from the Warrego River, which is the endpoint of the highway...
(National Highway A2) Junction to Gateway MotorwayGateway MotorwayThe Gateway Motorway is a major motorway in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The Gateway Bridge is owned and operated by Queensland Motorways....
(Metroad 1)
Metroad 3Metroad 3 (Brisbane)The M3/A3 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is a major urban road corridor. It connects Eight Mile Plains to Bald Hills via the following corridors:*M3 Pacific Motorway between Eight Mile Plains and Brisbane CBD...
- PacificPacific MotorwayThe Pacific Motorway is a 100 km long motorway in Australia between Brisbane, Queensland, and the New South Wales-Queensland border at Tweed Heads. The motorway starts at Coronation Drive at Milton in Brisbane, and from 2008 links the Tweed Heads bypass in New South Wales...
/Gateway MotorwayGateway MotorwayThe Gateway Motorway is a major motorway in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The Gateway Bridge is owned and operated by Queensland Motorways....
Junction (Metroad 1) to Gympie Arterial RoadGympie Arterial RoadThe Gympie Arterial Road is a freeway in the northern suburbs of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. This section of the road starts in Carseldine at Gympie Road and terminates at the Pine River where it becomes the Bruce Highway. Approximately 800m south of this crossing is the interchange with...
/Gateway MotorwayGateway MotorwayThe Gateway Motorway is a major motorway in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The Gateway Bridge is owned and operated by Queensland Motorways....
Junction (Metroad 1)
Metroad 4 - IpswichIpswich MotorwayThe M7 runs from the junction of Ipswich Road and Granard Road to the M2 Logan Motorway interchange. It is then signed M2 until the junction of the Warrego Highway and the Cunningham Highway between Brisbane and Ipswich in South East Queensland, Australia.It initially passes through the suburbs of...
/Logan MotorwayLogan MotorwayThe M2/MR6 Logan Motorway offers motorists a quick link between Ipswich and the M1 or Pacific Motorway at Loganholme, and the Gateway Motorway, providing access to the Gold Coast on the eastern seaboard and to the rural areas of the Darling Downs to the west....
Junction (Metroad 2) to PacificPacific MotorwayThe Pacific Motorway is a 100 km long motorway in Australia between Brisbane, Queensland, and the New South Wales-Queensland border at Tweed Heads. The motorway starts at Coronation Drive at Milton in Brisbane, and from 2008 links the Tweed Heads bypass in New South Wales...
/Gateway MotorwayGateway MotorwayThe Gateway Motorway is a major motorway in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The Gateway Bridge is owned and operated by Queensland Motorways....
Junction (Metroad 1)
Metroad 5Metroad 5 (Brisbane)Metroad 5 is one of Brisbane's metroads, running from Yamanto to Kedron. It is the main western bypass of Brisbane city.-Route:* Centenary Freeway: Logan Motorway to Moggill Road...
- Ipswich MotorwayIpswich MotorwayThe M7 runs from the junction of Ipswich Road and Granard Road to the M2 Logan Motorway interchange. It is then signed M2 until the junction of the Warrego Highway and the Cunningham Highway between Brisbane and Ipswich in South East Queensland, Australia.It initially passes through the suburbs of...
(Metroad 2) to Gympie Road (Metroad 3)
Metroad 6Metroad 6 (Brisbane)Metroad 6 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is a major urban road corridor. It connects Tanah Merah to Drewvale via the Logan Motorway....
- LoganLogan MotorwayThe M2/MR6 Logan Motorway offers motorists a quick link between Ipswich and the M1 or Pacific Motorway at Loganholme, and the Gateway Motorway, providing access to the Gold Coast on the eastern seaboard and to the rural areas of the Darling Downs to the west....
/Gateway MotorwayGateway MotorwayThe Gateway Motorway is a major motorway in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The Gateway Bridge is owned and operated by Queensland Motorways....
Junction (Metroad 4) to Pacific MotorwayPacific MotorwayThe Pacific Motorway is a 100 km long motorway in Australia between Brisbane, Queensland, and the New South Wales-Queensland border at Tweed Heads. The motorway starts at Coronation Drive at Milton in Brisbane, and from 2008 links the Tweed Heads bypass in New South Wales...
(Metroad 1)- North South Bypass Tunnel / Airport Link Under Construction