Max Fatchen Expressway

For the portion of U.S. Interstate 93 north of Boston also known as Northern Expressway, see Northern Expressway (Massachusetts).
Max Fatchen Expressway
Northern Expressway
South Australia
The Max Fatchen Expressway looking north, halfway along the expressway
General information
Type Freeway
Length 23 km (14 mi)
Opened 13 September 2010
Route number(s) National Highway M20
Major junctions
NE end Gawler Bypass Road, Gawler, Adelaide
 
  • Gawler Bypass
  • Port Wakefield Road
  • for full list see exits and intersections.
SW end Port Wakefield Road, Waterloo Corner
Location(s)
Major suburbs / towns Angle Vale, Andrews Farm, Macdonald Park, Penfield
Highway system
Highways in Australia
National Highway • Freeways in Australia
Highways in South Australia

The Max Fatchen Expressway (route M20), previously known as the Northern Expressway,[1] 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 avoid residential areas and go straight to Port Wakefield Road and onto the Port River Expressway (A9) to reach the harbour at Port Adelaide.

History

The largest road project undertaken in South Australia in at least sixty years, the expressway was delivered at a cost of approximately $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.[2]

Construction began in 2008 and the road opened on 13 September 2010.[3]

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 renamed the Max Fatchen Expressway in his honour.[1]

Exit list

Looking south along Port Wakefield Road towards the interchange at the start of the Max Fatchen Expressway

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

Max Fatchen Expressway
Northbound exits Distance from
Gawler Bypass Road
(km)		 Southbound exits
End Max Fatchen Expressway
Merges with Gawler Bypass Road
to Mildura and Sydney
to 		0 km Start Max Fatchen Expressway
from Gawler Bypass Road
Smithfield, Elizabeth
Gawler Bypass Road
Two Wells, Ward Belt
Two Wells Road
 -- no exit
Angle Vale, Kudla
Angle Vale Road
 -- Angle Vale, Kudla
Angle Vale Road
Andrews Farm, Macdonald Park
Curtis Road
 -- Andrews Farm, Macdonald Park
Curtis Road
Penfield, Penfield Gardens
Heaslip Road / Womma Road
 -- Penfield, Penfield Gardens
Heaslip Road / Womma Road
Penfield, Virginia
Penfield Road
 -- no exit
ARTC INTERSTATE RAIL LINE -- ARTC INTERSTATE RAIL LINE
Start Max Fatchen Expressway
from Port Wakefield Road 		0 km End Max Fatchen Expressway
Merges with Port Wakefield Road
to & '
Port Wakefield, Snowtown
Port Wakefield Road

Map

Northern Expressway
Legend
Gawler Bypass Road
Gawler Bypass Road
Gawler West Interchange
Two Wells Road
Two Wells Road
Long Tan Interchange
Gawler River
Gawler River
Kapyong Interchange
Angle Vale Road
Angle Vale Road
Kokoda Interchange
Curtis Road
Curtis Road
Tobruk Interchange
Womma Road
Heaslip Road
Heaslip Road
Penfield Road
Penfield Road
Hamel Interchange
Adelaide-Port Augusta railway
Adelaide-Port Augusta railway
Port Wakefield Road
Port Wakefield Road
Waterloo Corner Interchange

Proposed Northern Connector

In early 2008, the South Australian Government announced plans for the Northern Connector, an eight lane connector roadway, linking the Northern Expressway and South Road.[4] This would involve the construction of a four-way cloverstack interchange at the Port River Expressway / South Road intersection.[5] This project would also include a major diversion in the main ARTC interstate rail line, which would run down the middle of the new connector freeway between Dry Creek, South Australia and Taylors Road at Waterloo Corner.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "More than memory lane: Fatchen's expressway". ABC News. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  2. ↑ Paul Starick (15 November 2006). "Major expressway opens up north". The Advertiser. Retrieved 2006-11-15.
  3. ↑ Tom Zed, Transport reporter (13 September 2010). "Northern Expressway open for business". Retrieved 2010-09-13.
  4. ↑ "Northern Connector". Infrastructure S.A. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
  5. ↑ "northern connector". Infrastructure S.A. Retrieved 2010-06-12.

External links